Mohun Bagan cries foul over UB deal

But this season the story seems to be different. Mitra says, ‘‘Every year during the transfer season the clubs have always been getting Rs 1.5 crore. But this time around, UB is giving East Bengal Rs 2.5 crore to build their team while we are being denied even the usual amount.’’

While the party to the controversy — the UB Group — has opted to stick to its ‘‘no comments’’ posture, East Bengal chief Swapan Bal has trashed Mitra’s claims.

While admitting that talks were on to get UB pay a bonus on account of his club’s creditable performance last year — they won four national tournaments plus the National and Kolkata leagues — Bal says, ‘‘Right now we have received the usual Rs 1.5 crore from UB’’. He goes on to add that ‘‘it doesn’t matter who says what. We are building our team without big names and that doesn’t demand big money. We have signed most of the players who played last season for us.’’

Last year, East Bengal had opted to spend on younger and relatively unknown players like Goa’s Alvito Da Cunha and Nagaland’s Malsamwtluanga. As for the imports — Brazilian Douglas De Silva, Nigeian Mike Okoro and Suley Mussa of Ghana — unlike at present, they were not ‘big stars’ before the season. But despite the low spending, East Bengal had an overflowing trophy cabinet.

Meanwhile, Bagan last year had overshot their budget to acquire India’s best player Baichung Bhutia (back from Bury FC in England) and Brazilian striker Jose Barreto. This season, financial trouble has meant Bagan cannot hold on to Bhutia. Mitra admits, ‘‘We can’t sign Baichung again because we don’t have that kind of money. Even retaining some of the other big names might be a problem.’’

The miserable last season had meant an empty trophy cabinet and now, if Mitra is to be believed, they have empty coffers too. Trouble for Bagan never seems to end.