TMC leader Arup Biswas receives third notice in Messi tour controversy

KOLKATA: The Bidhannagar commissionerate has issued a third notice to TMC leader and former minister Arup Biswas in connection with the controversy surrounding the Lionel Messi “GOAT India Tour” event held at Salt Lake Stadium on December 13 last year, officials said on Saturday.

According to police, Biswas has been directed to appear before Bidhannagar South Police Station within 48 hours as part of the ongoing investigation.

The Bidhannagar Police had earlier intensified its probe into the case and had visited Biswas’s New Alipore residence last week. During that visit, officers issued two notices asking him to appear for questioning, with police personnel from Kolkata Police assisting in the operation to ensure the notices were served.

Officials said that after repeated attempts to contact him went unanswered, police pasted the notices on the gate of his residence, instructing him to appear at Bidhannagar South Police Station by 11 am on June 8.

This is not the first time Biswas has been summoned in the case. He had earlier been asked to appear on June 4 but did not comply with the directive. He had cited ill health for not appearing before the police on June 4 but had not provided any supporting documents.

The case stems from a complaint filed on May 17 by Shatadru Dutta, the main organiser of the Messi tour, at Bidhannagar South Police Station.

Biswas has been booked under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including criminal conspiracy, extortion, cheating, criminal intimidation, and joint liability. The complaint alleges that the former sports minister was involved in a network of ticket black marketing, extortion, and fraud, and also failed in ensuring proper security arrangements at Salt Lake Stadium during the event.