Calcutta HC grants interim protection to WB ex-sports minister in Messi event chaos case

The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday granted interim protection to former West Bengal sports minister Aroop Biswas from any coercive action in a case related to the chaos at the Lionel Messi event at Salt Lake Stadium in December.

Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya directed Biswas, who did not comply with two notices sent by the Bidhannagar police to appear before it for questioning, not to leave the station without the court’s permission.

Biswas was directed to submit his passport to the trial court within seven days.

The High Court also directed the former minister to appear before the probe agency on a notice by it, which is to be served on him at least 48 hours prior.

During the hearing, Justice Bhattacharyya said everyone was ashamed about the incident as Messi had to leave the Salt Lake stadium. The court observed that there were too many people on the ground that day, and the petitioner was the sports minister then. The matter will come up for hearing again on August 4.