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Journalism of Courage
City giants East Bengal today replaced coach Subhas Bhowmick, arrested by CBI on bribery charges, by his deputy Bikash Panji for the Durand Cup starting next week. The club decided to hand over the reins to Panji after Bhowmick conveyed his inability to coach the side under the current circumstances, East Bengal general secretary Kalyan Mazumdar said
8220;Bhowmick8217;s wife called up club president Dr Pranab Dasgupta and said that Bhowmick asked her to convey that he won8217;t be able to continue as the coach under the present situation,8221; Mazumdar said.
Indicating that the club8217;s doors would remain open for Bhowmick if proved innocent, Mazumdar said East Bengal decided to name Panji as the coach as it was not possible to find a suitable alternative within the short span before Durand Cup. The club would look for a suitable candidate to coach the team after the Durand Cup, Dasgupta said.
Panji has had a long association with the red and gold brigade first as a player and then as assistant coach.
Bhowmick, who was arrested on December 2 while allegedly accepting bribe from a businessman, has been remanded to judicial custody by a CBI court till December 9.
