Trinamool Congress leader and former Bengal sports minister Aroop Biswas appeared before the Bidhannagar Police on Monday for the second time in connection with an investigation into alleged irregularities linked to an event featuring Argentine football legend Lionel Messi at Salt Lake Stadium last year.
Biswas had previously skipped three police summonses before appearing for questioning for the first time on Thursday.
The investigation stems from a complaint filed by event organiser Shatadru Dutta, who accused Biswas of ticket black-marketing, extortion, cheating and criminal intimidation in connection with the high-profile event held at the stadium on December 13, 2025.
Based on the complaint, police registered an FIR on May 17 under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including sections related to cheating, extortion and criminal intimidation.
Dutta has alleged that nearly 22,000 tickets for the event were sold through the black market and claimed that Biswas misused his position as sports minister to exert undue influence over the programme.
The event had sparked controversy after sections of spectators allegedly vandalised parts of the stadium, claiming they were unable to catch a glimpse of Messi despite paying thousands of rupees for tickets. Many attendees alleged that influential individuals surrounded the football star on the ground, limiting public access during the event.
Dutta was subsequently arrested in connection with the case and spent 37 days in custody before obtaining bail. Following his release, he repeatedly accused Biswas of being responsible for the event's failure and the financial losses incurred by the organisers.
Adding to the controversy, Bengal's newly appointed sports minister, Indranil Khan, recently alleged serious mismanagement during the Messi event and claimed that the episode had embarrassed football fans across the state.
The Bidhannagar Police have not yet disclosed details of the questioning or any further action in the ongoing investigation.