Former India cricketer and current Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president Sourav Ganguly filed a Rs 50-crore defamation suit and a complaint against Uttam Saha, president of the Argentina Football Fan Club of Kolkata, for tarnishing his image in an online interview in which the latter made allegations linking Ganguly to the controversial Salt Lake stadium incident during Lionel Messi's visit to Kolkata on December 13.

Saha was notified by Ganguly and asked to "delete the video and all related content from social media and digital platforms, publish a written unconditional public apology addressed to Ganguly, and pay Rs 50 crore as compensatory and punitive damages to the former captain for the severe reputational, emotional, and institutional harm suffered".

The detective department's cyber cell received the complaint.

According to the interview, Ganguly and the main organizer, Satadru Dutta, who is currently under police remand after being detained, had tight business ties and allegedly even made a deal at the Messi event at the Salt Lake stadium.

"I am the former captain of the Indian cricket team, former president of the BCCI, and currently president of the Cricket Association of Bengal. I enjoy a very high public reputation and goodwill in India and abroad, built over decades of professional career and public service in sport administration," Ganguly wrote in his complaint, as per The Times of India.

"This complaint is filed with reference to a video interview published and widely disseminated online on or about December 14-15. It shows the interview of a person calling himself Uttam Saha (who in the video claims to be the president of the Argentina Football Fan Club, Kolkata). The video contains knowingly false, malicious, scandalous, and defamatory imputations against me, imputing dishonesty, corrupt motives, improper patronage, misuse of influence in sport administration, and other materially false allegations that have gravely harmed my reputation and mental peace," Ganguly wrote in his complaint.

Ganguly claimed that the "defamatory publication has already gone viral and is being widely shared" in his complaint.

“Unless the material and the related electronic records are preserved immediately, crucial evidence (original uploaded files, server logs, IP addresses, editing history, and related communications) is at risk of being deleted or altered by the accused or third parties. Immediate intervention by the Cyber Crime Branch is therefore imperative to secure digital evidence and to prevent further," stated Ganguly.

When contacted by TOI, Saha said he had been informed about the steps taken by Ganguly against him.

"I have not received any formal letter or document yet. I will provide all my answers legally once I receive them. However, one must remember that thousands of football fans have been deprived of this opportunity. My fan club is a unique one, and I will always defend it to the best of my abilities," said Saha.

(Times of India report)