Recently the AIFF appeals committee asked the PSC for a fresh hearing, meaning, the case will only get dragged, but, Mohun Bagan had enough. MBFT can exclusively reveal, the Mohun Bagan board of directors met online of the 16th of January, where the decision was taken after consulting the lawyers that a move to CAS will be made.
MBFT can confirm, Mohun Bagan's appeal to CAS has been accepted and Mohun Bagan have made The AIFF a party in the case, mentioning, they aren't sure if AIFF is capable to resolve the issue in a timely manner.
We understand, Bagan have made the player Anwar Ali, The AIFF, Emami East Bengal FC and Anwar's previous club Delhi FC party in this, and the said parties will have to nominate their arbitrators by 1st February. Then, CAS will schedule a date for the hearing in this matter and Bagan have requested fast resolution in the matter.
In September 2024, the AIFF PSC ruled in favour of Mohun Bagan Super Giant, concluding that Anwar Ali had indeed terminated his contract without sufficient legal justification. The committee imposed a four-month playing ban on the player and ordered him to pay ₹12.9 crore as compensation to Mohun Bagan.
Additionally, registration bans were imposed on the clubs involved in registering the player during the disputed period.
However, the verdict soon faced judicial scrutiny. The Delhi High Court intervened and declared the AIFF PSC order unenforceable, citing a lack of detailed reasoning and violations of the principles of natural justice. The court directed the AIFF to conduct a fresh hearing, ensuring due process and a reasoned order.
Following the High Court’s intervention, Anwar Ali was granted a temporary No Objection Certificate (NOC), allowing him to be registered and play competitive football while the case remained unresolved. This development enabled him to continue his professional career during the pendency of legal proceedings.
The case is since then pending and hearing were delayed in multiple occasions, which left the Mohun Bagan fans frustrated. As per sources, Mohun Bagan's lawyers have checked the documents and previous verdicts and they are confident of a positive outcome.
Mohun Bagan are expecting the procedure to start in the court by Early February, with a resolution expected by the late February this year.