Former West Bengal minister Aroop Biswas on Tuesday appeared before the Bidhannagar Police for a second round of questioning in connection with the alleged mismanagement during Lionel Messi’s GOAT India Tour event in Kolkata last year.
Acting on a notice issued by the police on Saturday, the Trinamool Congress leader arrived at the Bidhannagar South Police Station around 10 a.m., accompanied by his lawyer.
Investigators questioned Biswas as part of the ongoing probe into the alleged organisational lapses and crowd chaos that marred Messi’s appearance at Yuva Bharati Krirangan in Salt Lake on December 13, 2025. Tuesday’s appearance came after he had earlier joined the investigation on June 18.
The case originated from an FIR filed by the event’s principal organiser, Satadru Dutta, who accused Biswas of playing a central role in the alleged mismanagement that led to large-scale disorder during the high-profile event.
Before his first appearance, Biswas had skipped several police summons and later moved the Calcutta High Court seeking protection from coercive action. A single-judge bench granted him interim relief until July 2, allowing him to appear before investigators without the risk of arrest.
Dutta subsequently challenged the order before a division bench of the Calcutta High Court. However, the bench refused to interfere with the earlier ruling and later extended Biswas’ protection until August 17, enabling him to continue cooperating with the investigation while remaining shielded from coercive action.
Dutta, who was himself arrested after the chaos that unfolded at the Yuva Bharati Sports Complex following Messi’s visit, has consistently alleged that Biswas was responsible for the security lapses and organisational failures that overshadowed the event.
Following the change in the state government, Dutta lodged a fresh complaint with the Bidhannagar Police, reiterating his allegations against the former minister.
Among his key claims, Dutta alleged that nearly 70,000 tickets were printed for the event, of which around 22,000 were taken by Biswas using his official position before being distributed among associates or sold.
He has maintained that these actions contributed significantly to the crowd management failures and the disorder witnessed during one of the country’s most high-profile football events.