NEW DELHI: Reacting to media articles, Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has asked the AIFF’s ousted legal head, Nilanjan Bhattacharjee, to submit evidence for allegations of corruption he has levelled against national federation head Kalyan Chaubey, acknowledging it as a “serious matter.”
“In light of the seriousness of this matter, we kindly request that you provide the AFC, with a full written report setting out your position on the matter
by 18 March 2024 at the latest,” wrote deputy secretary to the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Committee Barry Lysaght.
A copy of the letter is with TOI. The matter was first reported by TOI on March 1, 2024.
Bhattacharjee told TOI, “I am extremely happy that AFC has taken cognizance of the allegations and termed it serious, suo moto. It’s not a regular occurrence. I have not raised the issues out of malice, nor do I have any personal axe to grind. We must clear the mess at the AIFF so that our football gets a clean and fresh start,” said Bhattacharjee.
“I will submit all the evidence I have with me to the AFC within the stipulated time.”
AIFF president Chaubey had, on March 6, served a legal notice to Bhattacharjee over the allegations. Bhattacharjee, in a letter to PM Narendra Modi, had alleged that “Chaubey was part of non-transparent tender processes and made attempts to siphon off money from the federation for personal expenses.”
In that letter he had also charged that “lawyers’ dues of more than Rs 50 lakh remain unpaid.”
Former India captain Bhaichung Bhutia, who fought for the president’s post but and lost to Chaubey, called for the latter’s resignation.
“It’s time he resigns because the federation’s image is getting maligned among other things,” Bhutia said.
