Lionel Messi ‘GOAT Tour’ in India has come under controversy as the chief organiser of the event has lodged a formal complaint against former Arup Biswas for his alleged misconduct and irregularities related to the footballer’s visit to Salt Lake Stadium in December 2025.
Event organiser Satadru Dutta said he was a “scapegoat” following the “wild mobs” that had to be handled at the Kolkata leg of the tour and security lapses he claimed. Dutta accused the former West Bengal sports minister, who had allegedly interfered in the working of the events, in the complaint.
Dutta said that he was under pressure during the event over issuing access cards and VIP passes. He also claimed that those who had been denied access were still able to gain entry to certain parts of the stadium.
When queried about the controversy, Dutta had confessed that he suspected that the tickets given to the former minister’s party might have been sold in the black market. He stated that these moves helped to add to the congestion and chaos, which took place during the highly anticipated international with Messi.
The organiser has now said it will start legal proceedings, which include filing a case for damages worth ₹50 crore and another defamation case. He said that the blame for the disorganisation within the organisation was misplaced on him while large-scale irregularities were neglected.
The mega event was attended by huge gathering of football fans and international media with thousands of people who were watching the Argentine superstar in Kolkata. But parts of the tour were marred by the reports of poor crowd control and ticketing issues. Arup Biswas has not yet publicly commented on the claims.