ED freezes bank a/cs of East Bengal, Mohun Bagan FC

KOLKATA: The Saradha scam sounded its presence in one of the cradles of the nation’s football talent. The Enforcement Directorate (ED), probing the multi-crore scam, ordered the freezing of bank accounts of East Bengal and Mohun Bagan clubs on Tuesday.

According to ED sources, definite money trail clues revealed inflow of huge amounts of cash in the accounts of these two clubs from the Saradha Group.

ED sleuths are also considering issuing similar orders for freezing the bank accounts of two other smaller football clubs, namely Bhowanipore and Kalighat.

According to soccer observers, such a development is unprecedented. Never before in the history of Indian football did any Central agency order the freezing of bank accounts of any football club.

The office bearers of both t hese clubs admitted of f i - cially that if the freezing of bank accounts continued for an indefinite period, then the future of both these clubs would be jeopardised for these are the accounts that are used by the club authorities to make payments to the players.

“But I have heard about it just as you have.

Once we are officially intimated, the club executive committee will call an emergency meeting to decide over the next course of action,” said Mohun Bagan general secretary, Anjan Mitra.

East Bengal officials already approached ED with an appeal to refrain from freezing the bank accounts. “We have already appealed to review the decision,” said East Bengal general secretary, Kalyan Majumdar.

EAST BENGAL TEAM OFFICIALS APPROACHED THE ED WITH AN APPEAL TO REFRAIN FROM FREEZING THE CLUB’S BANK ACCOUNTS