More than 60,000-plus fans had packed the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday for the Lionel Messi spectacle, only to be left devastated as the event spiralled into chaos. Now they want answers.

Few of the fans have been placated by the arrest of the main organiser and the push for refunds by the state police chief. The smooth conduct of the Messi shows in Hyderabad and Mumbai have only deepened their pain.

Many had come from other cities, spending tens of thousands of rupees on airfare and hotel charges. They want more than just a refund: they feel cheated and are demanding redress.

This newspaper spoke to police and lawyers to find answers to some of the fans’ questions.

Q: Will the spectators get a refund on their tickets?

A: The process has begun, police said. The Bidhannagar police wrote to the online reseller of the GOAT Tour tickets on Saturday asking it not to transfer any money collected from the ticket sale to Satadru Dutta, the main organiser.

“We wrote to Zomato yesterday asking them to freeze the amount collected from the sale of tickets. No money should be transferred to Dutta,” Bidhannagar city police commissioner Mukesh said on Sunday.

Sources said the police would next seek information about the sum collected from the ticket sales and find out if the online reseller can prepare a database of the buyers.

“The email addresses and phone numbers of the buyers should be with them,” an officer said.

On Saturday, state director-general of police Rajeev Kumar had said the organiser had been asked to refund the tickets and give a written undertaking to that effect, failing which he would face legal action.

Q: Many fans came from other states, shelling out hefty sums on air tickets apart from food and lodging in Calcutta. Who will pay for their losses?

A: Under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, a spectator can seek damages from the event organiser for the expenses incurred and compensation for the mental harassment, both over and above the refund, high court lawyer Pujon Chatterjee said.

He said a complaint can be filed with the consumer disputes redressal commission -- a quasi-judicial, three-tier (district, state and national) body. Calcutta has four commission offices: in Sealdah, New Town, Alipore and Baruipur.

A complainant can decide the amount of damages they want. A district commission handles cases up to ₹1 crore; the state commission handles cases between ₹1 crore and ₹10 crore; and the national commission handles cases above that amount.

A complainant will have to prove they spent money on travel and accommodation and under other heads.

“When many consumers are affected, they can file a collective complaint, where the amount is higher,” Chatterjee said.

Q: An e-guide sent to ticket buyers by the online reseller promised “Lionel Messi’s masterclass with young talents” and a “Lionel Messi penalty shootout”. Neither happened on Saturday. Can the buyers seek compensation over this?

A: Yes, lawyers said. “This is a clear case of the violation of contractual obligation. Compensation can be sought on the ground of harassment caused by this violation,” a lawyer who regularly handles consumer disputes said. He requested anonymity.

Chatterjee said: “Such acts amount to unfair trade practices. The online reseller only acts as a facilitator…. The online reseller can also be made a party, but the primary complaint lies against the organiser.”

The organiser can be held liable for the violation of contractual obligations, especially when the terms and promises mentioned in the e-guide or advertisements are not fulfilled, he said.

Before filing a complaint, a fan must send a notice to the other side giving them 14 days to reply or pay up. Even if one’s sending the notice by email, it’s advisable to dispatch it also via speed post, lawyers said.

Q: What about those who “bought” a “complimentary” pass?

A: The police said any purchase not made through the online reseller would be difficult to verify and not come under the purview of refunds.

“Complimentary passes are not meant for sale. If anyone bought them, that was illegal in the first place,” an officer from Bidhannagar city police said.