Calcutta HC to hear PILs on violence at Messi event; five spectators held

The Calcutta High Court is to hear three public interest litigation (PILs) petitions seeking probes by Central investigating agencies into the violence and vandalism that unfolded during an event featuring Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi in Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium.

A Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court, comprising Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Pal, on Monday (December 15, 2025) allowed the filing of three PILs on the incident. The petitioners include Leader of Opposition of West Bengal Assembly and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, advocate Sabyasachi Chatterjee, and advocate Mainak Ghosal.

In the PILs, the petitioners have sought the court’s intervention in transferring the probe from the West Bengal Police to Central investigating agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation and Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) to investigate the mismanagement that led to the chaos, and the monetary dealings behind the event.

Thousands of football fans were left disgruntled after allegedly not getting a view of Messi on Saturday, (December 13, 2025), despite having tickets for the Kolkata leg of Messi’s G.O.A.T India tour. Fans alleged that the football star made a very brief appearance, surrounded by “a large crowd of VIPs” who allegedly blocked the view of the audience.

Venue vandalised

Violence erupted among the fans shortly after and the venue was vandalised by a section of the audience. As of December 15, five spectators have been apprehended by Bidhannagar Police in connection with the chaos and violence that erupted at Salt Lake Stadium.

The main organiser, Satadru Dutta, was also arrested and remanded to 14 days of police custody. Mr. Dutta’s manager, Laltu Das, and five people from the organising and event management teams have been summoned by the police.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee constituted a high-powered enquiry committee to be chaired by Justice (Retd.) Ashim Kumar Ray, and with the Chief Secretary and the Additional Chief Secretary, Home and Hill Affairs Department, as members, to probe the incident.

“During the hearing [of the petition], we will seek a stay on the First Information Reports [against spectators]. It is a grave injustice against the young fans who saved their hard-earned money or borrowed money to see Messi. Why would they be arrested while ministers Sujit Bose and Aroop Biswas walk scot-free? Mr. Biswas should be arrested first,” Mr. Adhikari said on Monday, questioning the arrest of spectators.

The BJP MLA from Nandigram alleged that the State police and the State administration’s enquiry committee “cannot be trusted” and emphasised that the High Court’s intervention is imperative to ensure a transparent investigation.

Advocate Sabyasachi Chatterjee, one of the petitioners, told The Hindu that the State-constituted enquiry committee is not valid and alleged that there has been no gazette notification for the same.

“We want a stay on the enquiry commission, because it is simply not valid. Investigating financial dealings related to the event does not fall under State subjects according to the Constitution, so the enquiry committee should not involve itself in the financial probe,” Mr. Chatterjee said.