Satadru Dutta, organiser of Lionel Messi's GOAT India Tour, on Monday demanded an impartial investigation into the security breach and crowd chaos that erupted during the football legend's event in Kolkata, alleging he was made a "scapegoat" to shield senior officials from accountability. Speaking to media, Dutta claimed the earlier Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe was a "farce" and that key individuals, including former minister Aroop Biswas, were never questioned despite video evidence of their presence on the ground.

Allegations Against Previous Probe

Dutta alleged a fundamental conflict of interest in the SIT investigation. "The Police Commissioner who was show-caused was part of the SIT itself. Nobody called Aroop Biswas or anybody else involved. There are so many people on the ground — it is there in the public domain," he said. He insisted he possessed all documentation and was willing to face scrutiny in a fresh, impartial inquiry under the new state government.

Security Failure and System Breakdown

Dutta blamed the police and security apparatus for what he termed a "complete failure" despite extensive groundwork. "A Z category of security was issued by the Home Ministry to the state government, and that failed. The Chief Minister enjoys Z plus security, so the disparity was stark," he said. He noted that 16 to 20 security meetings were held, all permissions obtained, and the entire show flow—including accreditation and field-access protocols—was shared with police beforehand. Yet the event descended into chaos when unauthorised individuals breached the ground.

The Three-Year Effort and Private Event Status

Dutta described bringing Messi to India as a monumental task spanning three years, characterising it as the Argentine icon's "first private event." He emphasised that he had funded the event entirely from private sponsors and had not accepted a single rupee from the government. "My books are neat and clean. I paid for everything legally," he stated, defending the event's organisation and his own financial propriety.

Arrest and Alleged Intimidation

Dutta alleged that his arrest following the incident was a form of intimidation. "When I was arrested, a mask was put on me. Obviously, somebody didn't want me to speak out. There was intimidation because my family was outside," he claimed. He drew parallels with security at major film festivals, questioning why similar breaches do not occur when Shah Rukh Khan or Amitabh Bachchan attend such events. "If the police were strict, this would not have happened," he added.

Safety of Messi and Legal Path Forward

Dutta raised concerns about the safety of the global football icon during the chaos. "A global icon like Lionel Messi should be protected in the highest order. Somebody could have easily pushed him for a selfie. Why should Messi's manager take that risk?" he said. He announced plans to move court seeking a fresh, independent probe and appealed to the current state government for an impartial investigation, asserting that he was made a scapegoat in an effort to shield others from embarrassment.