Kolkata

Former West Bengal sports minister Aroop Biswas was questioned for more than three hours by the Bidhannagar Police on Thursday in connection with an investigation into alleged irregularities surrounding a 2025 football event featuring Argentine legend Lionel Messi.

Biswas appeared at the Bidhannagar South Police Station at around 9:55 a.m., after missing two earlier summonses. His appearance came following a Calcutta High Court order that granted him conditional protection from coercive action while directing him to cooperate with investigators.

Police sources said Biswas was interrogated until around 1:15 p.m. and has been asked to appear again on June 22 with relevant documents linked to the case.

The investigation stems from a complaint filed by event organiser Shatadru Dutta regarding the high-profile football programme held at Salt Lake Stadium on December 13, 2025. The event, which also featured Argentine stars Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul, ended in chaos after thousands of spectators allegedly failed to get a clear view of Messi despite purchasing expensive tickets.

Large-scale disorder and vandalism were reported inside the stadium as angry spectators accused organisers of mismanagement and preferential access being granted to influential individuals.

An FIR was registered against Biswas on May 17 under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including allegations of cheating, extortion and criminal intimidation. Dutta has alleged that nearly 22,000 tickets were sold through illegal channels and claimed that Biswas used his position as sports minister to influence arrangements for the event.

Biswas has consistently denied the allegations, maintaining that he had no role in the financial management of the programme.

In a fresh twist, Dutta recently claimed that Messi’s communication team had written to Bidhannagar Police, holding Biswas responsible for circumstances that led to the stadium unrest while absolving him of charges of mismanagement. Police officials, however, have not commented on the existence or contents of any such communication.

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The probe into the controversial event is continuing, with investigators examining financial records, ticket distribution practices and the roles played by various stakeholders involved in organising the programme.