Kalyan Chaubey, the President of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), has issued a defamation notice to Nilanjan Bhattacharjee, the recently dismissed legal head of the federation. This development comes ahead of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the federation.

Bhattacharjee had accused Chaubey of corruption and misuse of the federation’s funds. In response, Chaubey sent a letter to the president and secretaries of all state associations and executive committee members of the AIFF, clarifying his stance on various issues and allegations.

Kalyan Chaubey responds to Nilanjan Bhattacharjee’s accusations

In his letter, Chaubey stated, “I am writing this email to you in regard to address the personal allegations made against me by Adv Nilanjan Bhattacharjee. Initially, I did not want to dignify them with a response and preferred instead to address any concerns directly during the upcoming AGM and clarify any doubts you might have”.

Chaubey further added that the allegations have been politicized and widely spread with a clear and malicious intent not only to damage his reputation but also to destabilize the AIFF. He has sent a defamation notice to Bhattacharjee and will be pursuing this matter to its logical conclusion.

Chaubey also alleged that a systematic effort had been made to malign him before the AGM and the Lok Sabha elections. He further wrote, “Bhattacharjee has written a communication to Hon. Prime Minister, Hon. Home Minister, Hon Sports Minister, BJP Delhi Head Quarter, BJP Media Head, BJP Media Deputy Head and spread his allegations through Press Trust of India so that it can be picked up by multiple media. The motive and agenda in tarnishing my image and reputation are visible and obvious”.

Chaubey also addressed various allegations, including giving a tender to KPS Studio for the production of I-League matches. He stated, “It would be pertinent to request a report from FSDL on the technical evaluation process and as to why KPS Studio was chosen”. He also discussed issuing a tender for the production of Futsal, Santosh Trophy, and Indian Women’s League.

This incident underscores the importance of transparency and accountability in sports governance. It also highlights the challenges faced by sports administrators in maintaining their reputation amidst allegations and disputes. The upcoming AGM will be a crucial event in determining the future course of the AIFF and its leadership.

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