Football icon Lionel Messi was paid Rs 89 crore for his recent India tour, with Rs 11 crore remitted as tax to the government, the event organiser and prime accused in the Salt Lake Stadium chaos, Satadru Dutta, has told investigators.
According to a Times of India report, Dutta made these claims during his questioning by a special investigation team (SIT) of the Kolkata Police, which is probing alleged financial irregularities and crowd mismanagement linked to the high-profile event.
‘Influential people’ pressured organiser to expand access cards
As per the TOI report, Dutta alleged that “influential people” pressured him into tripling the number of access cards issued for the event, a move he claimed contributed directly to the chaos at Salt Lake Stadium on December 13.
Dutta reportedly told investigators that the unchecked access led to Messi feeling “unhappy about being touched or hugged” by unauthorised individuals during the event. Police said the Argentine star’s discomfort was among the key fallout of the crowd control failure.
Dutta was arrested within hours of the incident, with Bengal police registering two cases so far in connection with the episode. Several non-bailable charges have also been filed against him.
Police seize Rs 22 crore; funding claims under scrutiny
Dutta further claimed that the total expenditure on Messi’s India tour stood at around Rs 100 crore, with funds raised through sponsors and ticket sales. However, investigators remain unconvinced, noting that the declared revenue streams account for only 60-70% of the total cost.
Police have seized Rs 22 crore from Dutta’s bank accounts and frozen them as part of the investigation. The SIT also conducted a raid at his residence in Rishra on Friday, suspecting the possible use of black money in organising the event.
Authorities said it is not yet clear whether the seized amount includes proceeds from ticket sales or sponsorship funds. Investigators also noted that Dutta has not made any specific admissions regarding financial irregularities linked to the event.
Police officials added that during questioning, Dutta blamed “everyone” in Messi’s entourage for the disorder that unfolded at the venue. The probe into the funding and management of the event remains ongoing.
