Messi event chaos: West Bengal sports minister Aroop Biswas resigns

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday (December 16) accepted Aroop Biswas's resignation as the sports minister in the wake of the controversy over the mismanagement of football icon Lionel Messi's event recently, a senior leader of the ruling TMC said.

Biswas, who had written to the chief minister seeking to be relieved of his responsibilities as sports minister, will continue as a cabinet minister, retaining charge of the power department. The chief minister has decided to keep the Sports and Youth Welfare Department under her own charge for the time being, Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said.

Earlier, show-cause notices were issued to senior police and administrative officials, departmental proceedings were initiated against one officer as a fallout of the chaos that erupted during Lionel Messi’s event.

Show-cause notices

Acting on the directions of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, a high-level inquiry committee headed by retired Justice Asim Kumar Ray issued show-cause notices to Director General of Police (DGP) Rajeev Kumar, Bidhannagar police commissioner Mukesh Kumar, and sports department’s principal secretary Rajesh Kumar Sinha.

The officials have been asked to explain within 24 hours the circumstances that led to the chaos and why it could not have been effectively controlled.

Also Read: Messi event rampage: PILs in Calcutta HC seek transfer of probe to central agencies

The committee has also sought a detailed report on the security arrangements at the stadium, the role played by the police on the day of the event, and the effectiveness of surveillance systems.

In addition, deputy commissioner of police Anish Sarkar has been brought under departmental inquiry, while Yuva Bharati Sports Complex CEO Debkumar Nandan, a retired WBCS officer, has been removed from his post.

Based on the committee’s recommendations, the state government has constituted a four-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct a comprehensive probe into the incident. The SIT comprises IPS officers Piyush Pandey, Javed Shamim, Supratim Sarkar, and Muralidhar Sharma.

Messi event fiasco

Messi was present at a programme at Yuva Bharati Stadium on Saturday but had to leave the venue within 23 minutes amid security concerns.

Allegations surfaced that the presence of political leaders and ministers on the field obstructed the spectators’ view of the footballer.

Also Read: Messi Kolkata event row: Event organiser sent to 14-day police custody

Several ticket-holders, including those who had purchased high-priced tickets, vented their frustration by vandalising parts of the stadium, in what was seen as a major public relations disaster for the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), ahead of the 2026 assembly elections. Plunging into a damage control exercise, the chief minister promptly ordered a probe into the incident.

Fixing accountability

The inquiry committee, which also includes Chief Secretary Manoj Pant and Home Secretary Nandini Chakraborty, recommended strict accountability, a detailed examination of police conduct, and a criminal and administrative inquiry through an SIT.

Aroop Biswas also wrote to the chief minister, taking responsibility for the incident and seeking to be relieved of his sports portfolio “in the interest of a neutral investigation.”

Public anger

According to TMC sources, the minister was literally forced to take the step as public anger was largely directed at him, as he was frequently seen accompanying Messi and facilitating photographs with officials, secretaries and celebrities during the event.

Since Saturday afternoon, Biswas has faced sustained criticism on social media. The backlash intensified after visuals from Messi’s subsequent appearances in Hyderabad and Mumbai circulated widely, drawing comparisons with the Kolkata event.

Also Read: Messi Kolkata event chaos sparks TMC-BJP political slugfest: 'Pre-planned conspiracy'

Party leaders acknowledged that the Yuva Bharati incident had caused embarrassment to the state at both national and international levels.

According to party sources, although the event was not organised by the state government or the TMC, the perception that the sports minister’s actions contributed to the chaos prompted many within the party to recommend that he step aside to help contain public anger as the investigations continue.