Minister promises fresh Messi fiasco probe

Kolkata: Immediately after taking charge of the sports and youth welfare dept on Tuesday, minister Nishith Pramanik ordered a fresh probe into the Messi fiasco at Salt Lake Stadium on Dec 13 that triggered chaos, vandalism and allegations of large-scale administrative failure under the previous Trinamool govt.The announcement came within hours of Pramanik taking charge of the dept and is being seen as a direct scrutiny of the tenure of former sports minister Aroop Biswas. Addressing his first press conference after assuming office, Pramanik described the incident as "deplorable" and warned of strict action if corruption or financial irregularities were found. "I have summoned all files related to the Messi fiasco. We need to examine every detail thoroughly. After reviewing the documents, I will discuss the matter with CM Suvendu Adhikari. If any corruption or financial irregularities are detected, strict action will follow," he said.The controversy erupted when thousands of fans thronged Salt Lake Stadium hoping to catch a glimpse of Argentine football icon Lionel Messi during a high-profile event. Severe overcrowding, alleged mismanagement and confusion over ticketing arrangements led to massive disorder inside and outside the venue. Several ticket holders complained that despite paying large amount, they could neither enter the stadium properly nor see Messi. The chaos eventually resulted in vandalism at the venue and the arrest of organiser Satadru Dutta.Pramanik also announced that the role of the ticket-selling agency would come under investigation. While he stopped short of committing to refunds for disappointed fans, the minister indicated that the issue would be discussed internally before a decision is taken. At the same time, he attempted to strike a conciliatory note by promising efforts to organise another major football event in Kolkata in the future. Meanwhile, Dutta accused ex-minister Biswas of misusing his authority during the event. Pramanik also cited example of celebrated heptathlete Swapna Barman (who contested with a TMC ticket from Rajganj in Jalpaiguri this year), claiming she had to shift to MP because of inadequate facilities in Bengal.According to Pramanik, all pending sports and youth welfare schemes of the Centre, including Khelo India and Sports Authority of India initiatives, would be implemented from Wednesday.