After almost 37 days, Satadru Dutta, the prime accused of the Messi controversy, was granted bail. Dutta was released on a personal bond of Rs. 10,000 along with two security bonds by Bidhannagar District Court.
The Kolkata-based promoter was under judicial custody regarding the Lionel Messi controversy. Earlier this December, his bail plea was rejected by the same court.
The bail came as a surprise after the prosecutors opposed his release. They tagged him as a ‘very influential’ individual, capable of fleeing if the bail was granted.
While talking about his influence, the prosecutor, Bivas Chatterjee, stated, “The fact that Satadru arranged Lionel Messi’s tour speaks volumes about how influential he is. He could flee if granted bail.”
The court subsequently rejected the bail plea and remanded Dutta to 14 days of judicial custody. The prosecution alleged large-scale mismanagement during the event, stating that nearly 35,000 tickets were sold, generating close to ₹19 crore in revenue.
It further claimed that government property worth around ₹2 crore was damaged during the unrest, while Dutta allegedly made an unlawful gain of ₹20 lakh. Chatterjee also flagged violations of stadium regulations, alleging that potable water was permitted to be sold inside the venue.
Dutta’s defence lawyer, Saumyajit Raha, tackled these claims, stating that Dutta is a promising figure organising major events. Recently, includes the successful Messi visit to Hyderabad, Delhi and Mumbai.
He further clarified that the seating arrangements at the Salt Lake Stadium were inspected beforehand, and the organisers earned a no-objection certificate from Bidhannagar Police against it on 7th November.
He argued that the situation escalated only after the event had concluded. He stated, “There was no violation on the organiser’s part.”
Following the argument, he also expressed that the government constituted an enquiry committee after the event.
The event on 13th December escalated quickly as many unauthorised individuals surrounded Messi, resulting in the rage of spectators.
The Argentine footballer, visibly agitated, was escorted off the field by security personnel. The large sections of the crowd that couldn’t catch a glimpse of him triggered unrest. It declined further as spectators pelted water bottles and tore out seats.
Dutta was arrested later that evening on charges of mismanagement and remained in custody until he was granted bail by the court on Monday.
