Bengal To Reopen Messi Event Chaos Files, Organiser Asked To Refund Fans

The newly-elected BJP government in West Bengal is set to reopen the files regarding the 'Messi Case' in Kolkata, the state's Minister for Sports and Youth Welfare Nisith Pramanik has said.

Thousands of fans who wanted to catch a glimpse of Lionel Messi in Kolkata were left disappointed in December last year, after chaos ensued and the football icon had to leave the Salt Lake Stadium barely minutes after he entered the venue.

Talking to reporters on the issue on Sunday during a press conference, Pramanik said he has formally requested the files pertaining to the Messi incident.

"It has not even been 10 days since we took the oath as ministers. Yet, our objective from the very outset has been to restore the dignity of all those who were deceived in the "Messi fiasco"-specifically those who were humiliated and mistreated while attending the match. A decision has already been taken to reopen the file regarding the Messi incident; furthermore, the culprits behind this episode will be identified and brought to justice".

A political uproar had ensued after the December incident, with fans claiming they had paid up to Rs 14,000 per ticket just to catch a glimpse of Messi. The event organiser Satadru Dutta had been detained following the chaos.

Pramanik on Sunday also said that the Messi GOAT Tour organisers had been directed to issue refunds to the fans who had come to see the footballer.

" The people who came to see Messi, only to return feeling utterly humiliated and deceived, must be refunded their hard-earned money. We have clearly conveyed this requirement to the organisers of the event. The Sports Department of West Bengal will ensure that this is carried out and will provide assistance if necessary," he said.

Dutta in an exclusive interview with NDTV had claimed that the Argentine superstar himself protested when the arrest took place.

"I was not allowed to speak, so I waited to speak one day," the organiser stated. "To hide their own failures, they made me a scapegoat. It was a failure of administration and police. As an organiser, I cannot be a law enforcer; I believed the police would take care of what was planned," organiser of GOAT event told NDTV after the BJP's May 4 Bengal Assembly election win.