Messi’s Team Writes to Police, Holds Ex-Minister Aroop Biswas Responsible for Event Chaos

The controversy surrounding Lionel Messi's Kolkata visit last year has taken a fresh turn, with the organiser of the event claiming that the football legend's communication team has written to the Bidhannagar Police , holding former West Bengal sports minister Aroop Biswas responsible for the chaos that disrupted the programme at Salt Lake Stadium .

The claim was made by event organiser Satadru Dutta , who was arrested following the December 2025 fiasco and spent more than a month in jail before being granted bail. According to Dutta, the communication from Messi's team effectively clears him of allegations of mismanagement that led to legal action against him.

Speaking on the development, Dutta alleged that advisers associated with the Argentine superstar had repeatedly informed authorities about the role of the then sports minister even at the time of his arrest. However, he claimed those concerns were ignored and that he was made a scapegoat because Biswas was a minister in the previous government.

According to Dutta, the communication sent to the police commissioner stated that the decision to end Messi's appearance early was not the fault of the event promoter. Instead, it reportedly attributed the disruption to breaches of security arrangements and event protocols by individuals who were not part of the original plan.

The letter, shared by Dutta, allegedly stated that the approved protocol for Messi's appearance required that no dignitaries be present on the field and that only three authorised camera operators be allowed access. It further claimed that these arrangements were violated when the then sports minister entered the playing area and became involved in activities that were not part of the scheduled programme.

The communication also reportedly highlighted serious security concerns , alleging that repeated unscheduled interactions with Messi and the presence of several unauthorised individuals, including around 40 unaccredited photographers and camera operators in restricted zones, disrupted the planned events.

According to the letter, Messi's early departure was a direct consequence of unauthorised personnel interfering with the agreed programme and the security risks created by individuals who should not have been present in restricted areas.

The event at Salt Lake Stadium on December 13 last year descended into disorder after a large number of people allegedly entered the venue without valid access. Many spectators who had purchased expensive tickets complained that overcrowding prevented them from properly viewing the football icon or enjoying the event.

As the situation worsened, Messi left the venue early , triggering anger among sections of the crowd. Parts of the stadium were vandalised in the aftermath, sparking a major political controversy and raising questions over crowd management, security planning and accountability .

While the authenticity of the reported communication has not been independently verified, the latest claims are likely to reignite debate over responsibility for one of Kolkata's most controversial sporting events in recent years.