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New Delhi: The Bidhannagar court on Sunday sent Satadru Datta, the chief organiser of the Lionel Messi GOAT India Tour, to 14-day police custody, an officer said. He was arrested by the Bidhannagar Police on Saturday at the airport after chaos erupted at the Salt Lake Stadium due to the event's mismanagement.
He had gone to see off Messi and the team, who were on their way to Hyderabad. The counsel, who was appearing for Datta, told the court that his client was being victimised and framed.
"We expect that the police investigation in the next 14 days will bring clarity," Dutta's lawyer said. Meanwhile, BJP supporters held a protest outside the court when Dutta was taken there.
According to officials, Dutta arrived at the airport after the event at Slat Lake Stadium, cleared all the security checks and boarded the aircraft. He was later asked by the Director General of Police, Rajeev Kumar, to disembark the flight.
What was supposed to be a celebratory event turned into chaos and violence at the stadium after Lionel Messi left the venue in just 10 minutes. It was his first appearance at the stadium since 2011, but left a large section of the fans frustrated.
They failed to catch a glimpse of the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner despite having travelled from far and paying massive money for tickets. The situation inside the stadium escalated quickly as frustrated football fans broke poster hoardings, chairs, and threw bottles.
They voiced their anger and said that Messi’s visit to Kolkata had been dominated by celebrity and politicians' interactions. The supporters had waited for the Argentine footballer's arrival for months, but felt excluded from the experience.
The police also said that they are investigating how organisers allowed the sale of bottled waters and beverages inside the stadium, which are banned during such events.
