Sourav Ganguly Sues Argentina Fan Club President for Rs 50 Crore Over Messi Kolkata Visit

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has moved the court seeking ₹50 crore in damages after being drawn into fresh controversy surrounding Lionel Messi's much discussed Kolkata visit.

Ganguly has filed a defamation suit against Uttam Saha, president of the Argentina Fan Club in Kolkata, over allegations linking him to the event's organisation.

The legal complaint was lodged at Lalbazar, with Ganguly asserting that the claims made against him were baseless and had caused serious damage to his public image.

Allegations linked to Messi's Salt Lake Stadium visit

According to the complaint, Uttam Saha publicly alleged that Ganguly played a key role in facilitating Lionel Messi's visit to the Salt Lake Stadium and acted as a middleman between the organisers and the Argentine football icon. Ganguly has strongly denied these claims, stating that there is no factual foundation to support such accusations.

Ganguly's legal team subsequently issued a notice to Saha, seeking a formal retraction of the statements along with compensation for reputational harm.

"Serious allegations are being made publicly without any factual basis," Ganguly said in his complaint, as per India Today.

Complaint filed at Lalbazar, legal notice issued

The lawsuit filed at Lalbazar maintains that Saha's statements were made irresponsibly and without evidence, leading to widespread speculation and damage to Ganguly's standing. The former Board of Control for Cricket in India president has maintained that he had no involvement in the planning or execution of Messi's visit.

The case marks a significant escalation in the controversy, which has continued to generate headlines weeks after the Argentine star's brief stay in India.

Ganguly's presence at stadium amid chaos

Sourav Ganguly was present at the Salt Lake Stadium on the day of Messi's visit, but sources say he was seated in a different section when disorder broke out at the venue. As the situation deteriorated, Ganguly left the stadium and was later seen visibly disappointed by the turn of events.

His presence at the venue, however, has been cited by Saha to support the allegations, a link that Ganguly has firmly rejected.

Messi recalls India visit with warmth

Despite the organisational chaos, Lionel Messi spoke positively about his time in India during a speech in New Delhi.

"I just want to thank everyone for the love and affection during these days in India. In fact, it was a truly beautiful experience for us to be able to share it," Messi said.

"And although it was short and intense, it was wonderful to receive all this love that I knew existed, but receiving it directly was amazing. It was a crazy experience, everything they did for us these days.

"So, we carry all this love with us, and we will definitely return, hopefully one day to play a match or on another occasion, but we will definitely return to visit India. Thank you very much," he added.