East Bengal Have Forged My Signature - Snehashish Chakraborty

The left winger, who was arguably one of the best Indian players in the I-League, has been shrouded in a storm as he believes that he has been cheated.

According to the player, he ended his two year contract with East Bengal at the end of the 2007-08 season, following which he moved to Chirag United for a year but in the process, he also gave one of the oldest clubs in India the first right of refusal should he move elsewhere the following summer.

“When I was to leave East Bengal, they asked me to sign a letter which stated that I would have to sign for them (East Bengal), if called by them. I had to submit to this as they wouldn’t give me the letter without which it would have been difficult to get transferred,” said Snehashish.

But East Bengal have a different story to tell as football secretary, Santosh Bhattacharya opines that they had loaned out Snehashish to Chirag United.

“He was on loan to Chirag,” said Bhattacharya, something which Chirag United have categorically denied claiming that they signed Snehashish as a free agent and not on loan.

Now that Snehashish wants to seize a move to Mohun Bagan, East Bengal have come up with a contract which claims that the left winger is their player for the 2009-10 season, which the 20 year old denies.

“The signature in the contract is not mine. They are manufactured and forged. I had signed for Chirag for Rs.9 lakhs last year. After having played well, am I nuts to sign for East Bengal for Rs.6 lakhs? You think I am mad?” questioned Snehashish sarcastically.

He added that in page three of the contract, a copy of which is with Goal.com, the club claims to have given the player an advance of one lakh rupees.

“If they have paid, then ask them to give me the cheque number and the Tax Deduction Certificate. I would also like to see the copy of the vouchers,” demanded Snehashish.

East Bengal consider Snehashish’s claims as “useless” as he is under a registered contract with East Bengal, under Indian Football Association (IFA), which is the state football association of West Bengal.

“Somebody would sign and then, one fine morning claim that he hasn’t signed. That is not done. How can he deny as his contract is registered with the IFA. Everything what he has said is false.

“We have our evidence and let IFA decide on the matter,” said Bhattacharya.

Snehashish believes that justice will be done in the matter and that he has already had a word with IFA secretary Utpal Ganguly once.

“I met Ganguly and he asked the two parties to sit and solve the issue. In the next one or two days, we shall meet again.”

IFA can dismiss East Bengal’s claims if the contract they have produced isn’t registered with them, which the clubs claims to be listed. With the player stating forgery of his signature, the matter may go for verification with the IFA.

“If IFA doesn’t give me justice, then I shall go to the AIFF. I want to play for Mohun Bagan,” said Snehashish. 

Rahul Bali.