Barreto was on his way to Brazil on a long holiday. He was to take an Emirates flight at 9.15 am. Later in the day he was produced at the Barasat sub-divisional magistrate’s court, which granted him bail.
According to airport sources, Barreto arrived at the airport around 7.30 am with his luggage. But he was detained during the customs check and questioned throughout the day. Officials of the Mohun Bagan Athletic Club and mediapersons soon arrived at the scene. The club officials tried to negotiate with the customs officials, but the latter refused to budge.
“Since the amount of the unaccounted money was huge, we could not let him off with a fine. Initially, he said he would produce the documents, but failed to do so,” said a customs official.
Barreto was finally arrested around 4 pm and escorted amid high security to the Barasat court. The court granted him bail on a bond of Rs 10,000 and asked him not to leave the country. He will have to appear before the court again on April 3.
The club’s senior official Arun Chakraborty, who was present at the Barasat court, told The Indian Express: “He was not carrying any illegal money. It was, in fact, his hard-earned money. But he should have been carrying detailed papers. Anyway, he will produce the papers before the court on April 3 and get released.” The Mohun Bagan secretariat is expecting that Barreto will be able to return in the first week of April.
All that the dejected Brazilian striker could comment was: “It is like seeing a red card in a match.”