Calcutta High Court gives relief to former Minister Aroop Biswas from coercive action in Messi event fiasco

Argentine footballer Lionel Messi with former West Bengal Sports Minister Aroop Biswas. File

| Photo Credit: PTI

The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday (June 10, 2026) granted interim protection to former Sports Minister and senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA from Tollygunge Aroop Biswas against any coercive action in the Lionel Messi event case.

The case against Mr. Biswas was filed by organiser Satadru Datta , alleging extortion, cheating, and misuse of political influence. The event held in December 2025 at the Salt Lake stadium ended in massive chaos and vandalism, and led to major embarrassment for the ruling government on the international stage.

This is the first incident of relief given by the High Court to any top TMC leader since the crackdown began on them after their massive electoral loss. Many top leaders have been jailed in the past month.

Mr. Biswas had moved the court seeking protection against any coercive action after an FIR was filed against him.

However, Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya questioned Mr. Biswas why he had failed to turn up for questioning even after two separate notices were sent by the Bidhannagar police. The former Tollygunge MLA has also been asked by the court to submit his passport and not leave station without the court’s permission.

The court has also directed that Mr. Biswas appear before the police for questioning once a notice is served to him at least 48 hours prior. Justice Bhattacharyya also added that everyone was ashamed by how the chaos unfolded at the Messi event.

Once the chaos unfolded at the event last year, the Sports Minister was immediately suspended by then Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and organiser Mr. Datta, was arrested. However, Mr. Datta later accused that he was made the fall guy when Mr. Biswas was the one responsible for the massive chaos at the event which led to Messi leaving the venue within minutes of arriving.

During the court proceedings on Wednesday, Mr. Datta’s counsel said that he was coerced into giving 22,000 complimentary tickets, other accreditation cards, and close proximity tickets by Mr. Biswas.

“Once you give us protection we will go tomorrow or day after, whenever they ask,” Mr. Biswas’s council said while answering Justice Bhattacharyya’s questions on why the TMC leader has not appeared for questioning.

As pictures of Mr. Biswas holding the football legend Messi by his waist came to fore in the courtroom, the Justice also asked, “Is Mr. Biswas Messi’s childhood friend? How did he do this? We felt ashamed due to the Messi incident fiasco.”

The court also asked why the chaos unfolded in Kolkata in the presence of the Sports Minister, when the same event was smoothly organised in three other cities across India.

Published - June 11, 2026 03:15 am IST