A single-judge vacation bench of the Calcutta High Court on Monday, 8 June rejected former West Bengal Sports Minister Aroop Biswas's plea for a fast-track hearing on his petition seeking protection from coercive police action. The case pertains to alleged vandalism at Yuva Bharati Krirangan in Salt Lake, Kolkata, during Lionel Messi's GOAT India Tour on 13 December last year. Biswas was scheduled to appear at Bidhannagar (South) Police Station for questioning later the same day.

What Happened in Court

Biswas's counsel, Kishor Datta — formerly the West Bengal Advocate General under the previous Mamata Banerjee-led government — moved the petition before Justice Saugata Bhattacharya's vacation bench on Monday morning. The petition sought interim protection from coercive police action, including arrest, and also requested a fast-track hearing given that the former minister was required to appear for interrogation that afternoon.

While the bench admitted the main petition for protection from coercive police action, it declined the request to expedite proceedings. The court's partial admission means Biswas retains some legal cover, but the urgency he sought was not granted.

The Sequence of Police Notices

On 2 June, the Bidhannagar (South) Police Station issued its first notice directing Biswas to appear on 5 June. The former minister responded on 4 June with a written request — sent via messenger — seeking a 14-day extension on medical grounds, attaching a medical certificate in support. Investigators, however, issued a fresh notice on Sunday directing him to present himself by the afternoon of 8 June.

Brother's Arrest Adds to Pressure

The legal pressure on Biswas intensified following the arrest of his younger brother, Swarup Biswas, on charges of corruption, extortion, and alleged questionable behaviour towards women support staff in the Bengali film industry. On Saturday, a lower court in Kolkata remanded Swarup Biswas to 14 days of police custody. In his petition, Aroop Biswas reportedly stated that his brother's arrest had heightened his apprehension of being arrested by state police as well.

Background: The Messi Event Controversy

The vandalism case stems from incidents at Yuva Bharati Krirangan — also known as the Salt Lake Stadium — during Messi's high-profile visit to India in December last year. The GOAT India Tour drew massive public attention, and the alleged damage to the stadium premises triggered a police investigation that has since expanded to include senior political figures. This is the latest in a series of cases implicating former functionaries of the Trinamool Congress (TMC)-led state government.

What Comes Next

With the fast-track plea dismissed, the main petition for protection from coercive action will proceed through the court's regular schedule. Legal observers note that the bench's admission of the main petition does offer Biswas a degree of procedural protection for now, but the police retain the authority to question him. The outcome of Monday's interrogation and any subsequent court orders will determine the next phase of the case.