The key organiser behind the chaotic Lionel Messi event in Kolkata is set to revisit the scene of the incident as part of a detailed police investigation. Satadru Dutta will be escorted to the Salt Lake Stadium within the next three days to help authorities reconstruct the sequence of events that led to the major security breach and public outrage on December 13.
Reconstructing the Chaotic Moments
Investigators plan to meticulously recreate the critical moments when football icon Lionel Messi, along with his Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, was compelled to leave the stadium prematurely. The exit was triggered by serious security concerns after the players found themselves hemmed in by a crowd of officials and semi-celebrities. This breach of protocol sparked fury among thousands of fans who were denied even a brief glimpse of the global superstar, leading to incidents of vandalism inside the venue and injuries to police personnel.
According to sources, Dutta will be taken through the same gate used by Messi and his entourage. He will be required to explain how a large number of individuals managed to surround the footballer, directly violating established security protocols. The reconstruction aims to pinpoint the exact failures in crowd control and access management.
Probing the Security and Financial Trail
Dutta is also expected to be questioned about the official deployment plan for security and organisers during the event. Investigators want him to clarify how these arrangements completely collapsed the moment the Argentinian forward stepped onto the field to kick off his three-day GOAT India Tour.
The probe has expanded beyond security lapses to examine the financial dimensions of the event. During questioning, investigators have learned that a staggering sum of approximately Rs 100 crore was spent to bring Messi to India. This amount was reportedly raised through ticket sales and sponsorships. Of this total, around Rs 89 crore was paid to Messi himself, while the remaining Rs 11 crore was paid to the Indian government as tax.
SIT Summons and Custodial Interrogation
Meanwhile, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged mismanagement is preparing to summon individuals who were issued ground-access cards for the event. A list of those granted field access by Dutta has been drawn up, as this is a key focus area in determining how security was compromised.
Dutta, who was taken into custody two weeks ago, has undergone sustained questioning. In a recent session on Tuesday, investigators grilled him for several hours on crowd management, access control, and the chain of decisions taken on the event day. Police are seeking to fix responsibility for the lapses that led to public backlash and violence.
During his interrogation, Dutta claimed that he attempted to clear the area around Messi after the footballer expressed discomfort, but his requests were allegedly ignored by others present. The state counsel had earlier justified Dutta's custodial interrogation with a detailed 10-point submission before the court. The points included:
- Identifying his associates.
- Recovering crucial documents and coordination material.
- Examining the organisers' response to early warning signs of unrest.
- Establishing elements of a criminal conspiracy.
- Tracing the complete financial trail of the event.
- Reconstructing the incident through sustained questioning.
An officer from the Bidhannagar Commissionerate confirmed, "The reconstruction is still pending, and we are trying to complete it over the next three days." The investigation continues to unfold as authorities piece together the events of that chaotic day at the Salt Lake Stadium.
