AIFF hand transfer ban to East Bengal over non-payment of salaries to Indian players

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has slapped East Bengal with a transfer ban for non-payment of salaries to three Indian players, Goal can confirm.

The three Indian players are Rakshit Dagar, Abhas Thapa and Pintu Mahata who were signed by East Bengal during the 2019/20 season.

Sources close to Goal have confirmed that the combined amount due is approximately INR 12 lakh with Pintu Mahata's salary due rising up to INR 9 lakh. It must be noted that Pintu Mahata's case is still pending with the AIFF. If the payment is not made in time and a ban is imposed on that issue, then East Bengal won't be able to appeal or lift it as it is a non-compliance of judicial decision.

The entire amount has to be paid by the club in the next 45 working days in order to remove the ban.

ISL

Who will clear the salary dues of the players?

While AIFF has notified the SC East Bengal management about the ban, the new management is not liable to pay the due amount as these liabilities were incurred before September 1, 2020, when Shree Cement East Bengal management was formed.

All the above players were signed during the Quess East Bengal era and after Quess Corp parted ways with the club, the liabilities automatically fall on the East Bengal club.

Goal has also learnt that the salary non-payment issue is not limited to just three players. Around 12 players and support staff including foreigners like Jaime Santos Colado and Carlos Nodar's salaries have not been cleared by the club yet.

Earlier in June this year, East Bengal were handed a transfer ban by FIFA over the non-payment of salary of Costa Rican defender Johnny Acosta. But later the ban was revoked after the East Bengal officials cleared the dues.