Who is Satadru Dutta? The main organiser of Messi’s India visit now under police detention

Lionel Messi’s much-hyped Kolkata leg of the GOAT Tour of India 2025 ended in chaos on Saturday, with angry fans vandalising parts of Salt Lake Stadium after the Argentine superstar left the venue within just 20 minutes. In the aftermath of the incident, Kolkata Police confirmed that Satadru Dutta, the main organiser and promoter of the event, has been detained.

Who is Satadru Dutta?

Satadru Dutta is the main man behind Messi’s long-awaited return to India after 14 years. All promotional material for the GOAT India Tour clearly states that the events were organised as part of “A Satadru Dutta Initiative,” placing him at the centre of the entire saga. Messi himself had posted about the tour and given credit to Satadru late last month.

Satadru Dutta is a sports promoter and event organiser who has been active in bringing global sporting icons and big-ticket events to India, especially to Kolkata. According to information shared on his official website, Satadru describes himself as a visionary leader focused on sports innovation and investment. His work, as per his profile, aims to place Kolkata firmly on the global sporting map.

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Satadru is best known for his role in organising visits of legendary footballers to India. In the past, he played an important role in bringing football icons such as Pele and Diego Maradona to the country, events that attracted massive public attention. He has also publicly expressed his ambition to bring Cristiano Ronaldo to India one day.

Ahead of Messi’s arrival, Dutta had spoken confidently about the tour, calling it a historic moment for Indian football. However, what was expected to be a celebratory moment turned into a nightmare. Soon after Messi arrived at Salt Lake Stadium, he was surrounded by politicians, police officials, VIPs and their entourages, blocking the view for thousands of paying fans.

Messi appeared confused but remained calm, signing autographs while trying to walk around the ground. As the situation worsened, Satadru himself could be heard on the public address system, repeatedly pleading, “Please leave him alone. Please vacate the ground.” Despite his appeals, the crowd of dignitaries only grew, forcing security to cut short Messi’s appearance.

Frustrated fans then resorted to vandalism, destroying stadium property in anger, throwing seats and bottles on the ground. Following the chaos, an FIR was lodged, and Satadru was detained. According to Kolkata police, the organisers have promised to refund fans.