Rejecting the bail plea, a Bidhannagar court on Sunday sent Shatadru Dutta Dutta, the chief organiser of the Lionel Messi football event in Kolkata, to 14-day police custody, a day after fans ran amok at Salt Lake stadium, unhappy over not being able to see the Argentine football superstar.
Dutta was arrested on Saturday at Kolkata airport, where he had gone to see off Messi and his entourage on their way to Hyderabad.
Bidhannagar Police has registered two suo motu cases against Dutta and unknown persons for Saturday’s rampage at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan. He has been boked under BNS sections 192 (provocation with the intent to cause a riot), 324/4 (5) (mischief), 326 (5) (mischief by injury, inundation, fire, or explosive substance), 132 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging their duty), 121 (1) (voluntarily causing hurt/minor injury to a public servant performing their duty), 121 (2) (grievous hurt), and 45/46 (abetment of a thing).
Dutta has also been booked under Section 9 (penalty for subversive acts) of the West Bengal Maintenance of Public Order Act, and Section 3 (mischief causing damage to public property) of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.
Opposing police custody, Dutta’s lawyer Dyutman Bhattacharya said his client was being framed. “We prayed that our client would be fully cooperating with the police, and he stays within stone’s throwaway distance from the police station. He will be available for questioning. But looking at the importance of the case, the honorable judge accepted the police prayer of 14-day custody,” said Bhattacharya.
More arrests likely
Meanwhile, Bidhannagar Police Commissioner Mukesh Kumar, who was at the stadium accompanying the Governor and the members of the inquiry committee set up by the state government, blamed the chaos on “clear mismanagement”.
“When you cut a 1.40-hour event to 20 minutes, this happens. It is a fallout of mismanagement. We have arrested one person. We have prepared a list of people for summons.”
“No permission for water bottles was given. The additional guest list was not given to us. Vendors, too, will be questioned. We are checking CCTV footage. All those identified will be arrested,” the police commissioner said.
According to police, things were under control until 10 am with tight security, and no bottles were allowed inside. Messi was on the field from 11.32 am to 11.52 am, but fans were not happy.
A police official on duty inside the stadium said things escalated quickly at 11.48 am.
“The crowd started shouting ‘boo boo’, and we could sense their dissatisfaction. Messi’s security team swiftly escorted him out, and as fans saw him leave, they began throwing bottles, chairs, and other objects onto the field,” the officer said.
Too early to form an opinion: Inquiry panel chief
The three-member inquiry committee, led by former Justice of Calcutta High Court Ashim Kumar Ray, on Sunday morning visited Salt Lake stadium in Kolkata for ground inspection.
Justice Ray was accompanied by two other members of the panel, Chief Secretary Manoj Panth and Home Secretary Nandini Chakraborty.
They were accompanied by Bidhannagar Police Commissioner Mukesh Kumar, Deputy Commissioner Aneesh Sarkar, Sports Secretary Rajesh Sinha, and Joint Commissioner of Police V Chandrasekhar Vadnavarun.
The entire inspection was videographed.
“We have come today as part of the inquiry committee. It would not be right to give any observation now. We just came to see the circumstances (of the incident). The investigation has begun,” Justice Ray told mediapersons.
“Yesterday, we had decided on a roadmap, and today we are at the spot. Whatever I have seen, I have noted and concluded. I have not formed an opinion. This should not be done so hurriedly. I have just visited the spot as early as possible. We will soon submit a report (to the state government),” he added.
Following Saturday’s fiasco, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had set up an inquiry committee.
“The committee will conduct a detailed enquiry into the incident, fix responsibility, and recommend measures to prevent such occurrences in the future,” she had said as she apologised to the fans as well as the football superstar.