Kolkata, July 10 2009: A decision on the suspension of India captain Bhaichung Bhutia by Mohan Bagan will be taken by the All India Football Federation (AIFF), the Indian Football Association (IFA) said on Thursday.

The IFA took the decision at its governing body meeting as Bhutia had shot off a letter to the AIFF requesting its intervention in the matter a few days ago.

The AIFF then forwarded the matter to their Player's Status Committee and informed the IFA about the development last evening.Bhutia had earlier wanted the IFA to sort out the issue following which the state association had called the governing body meeting on Thursday.

But in the IFA meeting, attended by 37 members and office bearers, majority of the members -- about 23 of them -- wanted the matter to be solved by the AIFF.

The IFA also expressed its disappointment about the way AIFF had handled the episode without consulting the state association.Mohan Bagan legal counsel Geeta Nath Ganguly termed the entire episode as a "farce".

The Bhutia-Mohun Bagan rift started when the star striker skipped an exhibition match of the club in Jalpaiguri.

In a strongly-worded letter on May 14, club secretary Anjan Mitra asked Bhutia to clarify his conduct within 48 hours besides advising him not to join the team practice.

Bhutia, however, chose not to reply to the showcause and on May 18 announced his decision to part ways with the club.

Three days after declaring that he had "no heart to play for Bagan", Bhutia sent a letter seeking immediate release from the club.

Mohan Bagan, in their executive committee meeting on June 8, took a decision to suspend the star Indian footballer for six months without pay.

Bhutia's legal counsel Usha Nath Banerjee challenged the decision at the IFA, even as the AIFF permitted the India captain to attend the national camps in Dubai and Barcelona.

IFA then had convened its governing body meeting today to decide on the issue.

Meanwhile, the AIFF Players Status Committee, that has been entrusted the job of deciding the validity of the suspension of Bhaichung Bhutia by Mohun Bagan, has sought "some clarifications" from the national federation.

Committee chairman KP Sunny said the matter would be taken up after he gets a reply on the clarifications he sought from the AIFF General Secretary Alberto Colaco.

Asked if his Committee would demand or take into consideration any opinion by the Indian Football Association on the issue, Sunny, who is also the Kerala Football Association Secretary, said, "At this stage I can't say anything.

Once we get the clarifications we will proceed further on the matter".

The Players Status Committee is made up of five members.

Besides Sunny, the other members are Antonio Botelho, Debashish Banerjee, Kehar Singh and SA Rehman.

Bhutia was banned by Mohun Bagan for six months for his alleged indiscretion.

The India captain had approached the IFA to resolve the issue and on Thursday the governing body had put the ball in the AIFF's court.

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