Bhutia issue: Bagan writes to Patel

“Mohun Bagan club will fight to get justice in this regard and the matter will,if needed,be taken up with courts of justice and Fifa in quest of the same,” he added.

In a letter to Patel,Mitra has accused the AIFF of “huge irregularities and misuse of powers in every step” in deciding the status of Bhutia.

“I humbly submit that we suspect probably you are not aware of the real scenario. But the actual position is that Bhutia is a player registered under the Indian Football Association (IFA). It is the standing players’ status committee of the IFA which is the real authority to determine the status of Bhutia. It is also a fact that even the highest authority of football,namely Fifa,also believes that the local body is the authority to determine any issue. But it is really hard to understand how bypassing both the governing body of the local committee and the players’ status committee (of the AIFF) the matter has been sent to Mr (Amarendra) Sharan,” Mitra wrote in his letter to Patel.

He further wrote that Article 59 (1) of the Memorandum of Association of the AIFF states about the arbitration which contemplates that the AIFF “shall create an option for recourse to arbitration,by nominating a panel of 10 independent arbitrators to resolve any disputes between the AIFF,its members,clubs,officials and players.”

He cited the examples of Steven Dias and NP Pradeep who were directed by the AIFF to play for their old club last season.

Bhutia has been given an interim relief by AIFF-appointed arbitrator Amarendra Sharan,who has allowed him to sign for East Bengal for the ongoing season.