On Saturday, the Principal Legal Advisor of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), Nilanjan Bhattacharjee, levied severe “corruption allegations” against President Kalyan Chaubey. Chaubey promptly dismissed these accusations as unfounded and declared his intention to pursue legal recourse. Bhattacharjee, in a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asserted that Chaubey facilitated “corruption avenues” through opaque tender processes and favored allocation of tenders.
The letter, obtained by PTI, details Bhattacharjee’s claims of Chaubey attempting to divert funds from the federation’s coffers for personal gain. Bhattacharjee alleges that Chaubey, through coercion and self-interest, awarded numerous tenders, including those for broadcasting I-League, Indian Women’s League (IWL), and Santosh Trophy, to a particular undisclosed company closely linked to him.
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Moreover, Bhattacharjee asserts that substantial tenders for broadcasting futsal and other tournaments were also granted to the same service provider. He further notes that the ongoing Santosh Trophy tender was similarly awarded to this entity.
Bhattacharjee contends that when he proposed safeguards for subsequent tenders, Chaubey sought to tarnish his professional reputation. He also accuses Chaubey of spending significant sums of AIFF funds on personal trips and accommodations.
Chaubey responded to PTI’s inquiry by dismissing the allegations as baseless and expressing his intention to address them legally. “All these allegations are baseless. I will reply legally,” Chaubey stated.
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Bhattacharjee revealed that he was appointed following Chaubey’s assumption of the AIFF presidency in September 2022, with his tenure recently extended. Despite the potential termination of his employment, Bhattacharjee expressed indifference, stating, “I would not care if I am terminated from my job.”
Bhattacharjee had previously alleged non-payment of his retainership sum by the AIFF for several months last year, which was eventually rectified.
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