West Bengal Ex-Sports Minister Denied Immediate Relief by Calcutta High Court

Calcutta High Court's Decision on Arup Biswas

Arup Biswas, the former sports minister of West Bengal, was unable to secure immediate relief from the Calcutta High Court. The court rejected his plea for urgent hearing regarding an FIR linked to the controversial Lionel Messi GOAT India Tour event held in Kolkata last year. The case was presented before Justice Sougata Bhattacharya's bench, which cited a backlog of pending cases as the reason for denying emergency hearings. The court clarified that the petition would only be heard after it is formally filed and listed through the standard procedure. Consequently, Biswas could not obtain any interim protection against potential police actions.

Ongoing Scrutiny and Related Arrests

This development comes at a time when both the former minister and his family are under close scrutiny. In a separate incident, his younger brother, Swaroop Biswas, was arrested following allegations made by a female makeup artist from the Bengali film industry. The woman claimed that she had been denied work for nearly two years and was being extorted for money in exchange for professional opportunities. According to her complaint, she was warned that if she did not comply, she would not receive any future work. She further alleged that when she approached Swaroop Biswas later in search of work, he harassed her.

Public Unrest Following Arrest

Following the arrest, unrest erupted in the New Alipore area of Kolkata on Friday. Angry residents reportedly stormed into Suruchi Sangh, one of the city's prominent Durga Puja clubs, which has long-standing ties to the Biswas brothers. Eyewitnesses noted that a crowd gathered outside the club before breaking in. Residents claimed they discovered a room inside equipped with a king-size bed, air conditioning, and other luxurious amenities, raising questions about the club's usage. Protesters also alleged that they found government-branded bottled water and bundles of sarees inside the premises, which appeared to be relief materials. They demanded a thorough investigation into the source of these items and the club's operations.