AFC urges AIFF's sacked legal head to submit evidence of corruption against Kalyan Chaubey

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) asked Nilanjan Bhattacharjee, the recently ousted AIFF legal head, to submit evidence of the corruption charges he levelled against the All Indian Football Federation (AIFF) president Kalyan Chaubey.

Nilanjan, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had accused Chaubey of playing a part in the non-transparent tender processes and also making attempts to "siphon off money from the federation" for personal expenses".

Nilanjan also said that during his tenure, he refused to sign a questionable agreement with airlines Indigo where "a minimum guarantee of Rs seven crore" was to be given for content creation rights against "no incentive to Indian football"

The AFC, in response, urged Nilanjan to submit a fully written report by March 18.

"Such report should include (without limitation) details of the allegations, any evidence to support such allegations, any steps taken by you to address the allegations at the AIFF (or any other body/person), and any other relevant information or documentation relating to this matter," Deputy Secretary to the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Committee, Barry Lysaght, wrote in a letter addressed to Nilanjan.

"I will submit all the evidence I have with me to the AFC within the stipulated time given by AFC," Nilanjan told news agency PTI.

Following the allegations, Chaubey dismissed them as baseless and said Nilanjan was doing this to damage his reputation.

Former Indian football team captain Bhaichung Bhutia also weighed in on the controversy opining that "Kalyan should resign taking responsibility of all this and new elections should be held to clean up Indian football", further adding that this could "seriously damage reputation of Indian football."