Cops paste summons notice on Aroop house, ask him to appear today

Kolkata: The Bidhannagar Police on Sunday escalated pressure on senior Trinamool neta and former Bengal sports minister Aroop Biswas in connection with the probe into the controversy surrounding Lionel Messi’s GOAT India Tour at Salt Lake stadium on Dec 13, last year.

On Sunday, cops visited his New Alipore residence before putting up two notices directing him to appear for questioning on Monday. The Bidhannagar Police was accompanied by the local Kolkata Police personnel. “We took help of Kolkata Police to ensure that Biswas received the notice physically,” confirmed a Bidhannagar official.

After multiple rings of doorbells went unanswered, officers pasted two crucial notices on the entrance of the ex-minister’s house, asking him to mandatorily appear for interrogation at the Bidhannagar South PS by 11 am on Monday.

This marks the second time the former minister has been summoned by investigators after he did not appear to an earlier directive to appear on June 4.

Citing physical illness through his legal counsel, Biswas had formally requested a 14-day extension to appear. However, Bidhannagar Police summarily rejected the plea. Sources revealed that the twin notices conspicuously highlight that the heavyweight politician failed to provide any medical reports or documentary evidence to substantiate his health claims. Officers have warned that a failure to comply with Monday’s 11-am deadline will invite stringent legal consequences, hinting even at a potential arrest.

The controversy traces back to May 17, when Shatadru Dutta, the primary organizer of the Argentine football maestro’s tour, lodged an FIR against Biswas at the Bidhannagar South police station. The former minister has been booked under sections 61(2) (criminal conspiracy), 308(2) (extortion), 318(4) (cheating), 351(2) (criminal intimidation), and 3(5) (joint liability) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The complaint levies allegations against the former sports minister, accusing him of orchestrating a mass ticket black-marketing ring, extortion, fraud, and displaying severe negligence in the event’s security management at the Salt Lake Stadium.

With the investigators now adamant on questioning him, Biswas’s legal options appear to be narrowing fast. He had previously moved the Barasat Court seeking anticipatory bail. The TMC neta then approached the Calcutta High Court, where his anticipatory bail plea is listed for hearing on Tuesday, June 9. Sources indicated that the former minister is awaiting the court’s decision before deciding on his next course of action.

Legal experts point out that by forcing a appearance on Monday morning, the police are moving proactively before the HC can grant any interim protection to Biswas.

The complainant was arrested earlier following allegations of mismanagement and disorder at the event. He was subsequently released on bail after 38 days. After securing bail, Dutta filed a complaint against Biswas and others, leading to the registration of the FIR.

According to allegations, the event management collapsed entirely at the stadium, with unauthorized crowds swarming near Lionel Messi. The resulting administrative chaos meant that hundreds of genuine spectators were blocked from catching a glimpse of the football superstar despite possessing valid high-priced tickets. The ensuing massive public backlash forced Biswas to resign from his position as the state sports minister.