Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president Sourav Ganguly has issued a Rs 50-crore defamation notice and filed a cyber complaint against Uttam Saha, secretary of the Argentina Fan Club in Kolkata, over remarks made in a recent media interview regarding the Messi event at Salt Lake Stadium on December 13.
In his complaint, Ganguly has alleged that Saha falsely linked his name to the chaos during the event, thereby “damaging” his image and brand. The complaint was emailed to Lalbazar, the city police headquarters, on December 15,. In the defamation notice, sent on the same day, the content of the recorded interview is described as “false and unverified.”
“It lowers my client’s reputation in the estimation of right-thinking members of society, exposes him to hatred, contempt and suspicion, and is published with reckless disregard for truth and resort to character assassination to obtain easy negative publicity. Your conduct attracts civil liability for damages as well as criminal liability under applicable provisions of law, including but not limited to the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and also amounts to misuse of electronic platforms under the Information Technology Act, 2008,” the notice states.
The complaint centres on remarks where Saha allegedly suggested that the tour organiser Satadru Dutta, who was arrested soon after the chaos, was merely a “broker” and that Ganguly was overseeing the arrangements.
Ganguly has demanded that the interview video and related content be taken down from all platforms within 72 hours, and that Saha issue an unconditional public apology.
“Such statements directly attack Ganguly’s professional integrity, competence, and bona fides as a sports administrator and public figure,” the notice reads.
The police complaint also seeks deletion of the video from Facebook, social media and digital platforms, and demands that intermediaries disable access to the content under IT Rules. The notice urges the Cyber Cell of Kolkata Police to register an FIR and take cognisance of offences, and to summon representatives of BanglaHunt Digital Media Pvt Ltd for clarification on editorial control and source material.
When contacted, Saha told The Indian Express, “There is nothing personal against Sourav Ganguly. But as a Messi fan, on that day, our stature was much bigger than cricketer Sourav Ganguly or actor Subhashree as Argentina Fan Club members. I have received the notice and I will reply.”