Mohun Bagan has barred captain Baichung Bhutia from practicing with the team and served a showcause notice asking the footballer to explain reasons for missing number of training sessions and an exhibition match in Jalpaiguri on Monday without prior notice.
Mohun Bagan served the notice to Bhutia, who is also the captain of Indian team, last night asking him to explain his "erratic behaviour" within 48 hours and "advised" not to join team practice till then.
Mohun Bagan will hold a meeting in their club premises later on Friday to decide farther course of action, while Bhutia is yet to reply to the notice.
Baichung remained too occupied with other activities like television reality shows and was not at all committed to the cause of the club, Mohun Bagan general secretary Anjan Mitra pointed out in the letter sent to the player.
"Your performance during the later stages of ONGC I-League and Super Cup was not up to the desired standard. This is one of the main reasons that Mohun Bagan could not win the League," the letter said.
"It is evident that this season your focus has shifted from football and it has now become your secondary interest. It is unexpected from a senior professional footballer," Mitra said in the letter, addressing Bhutia as a "registered player" but not as captain of the outfit.
The Sikkimese star chose not to travel with the team to Jordan and joined for their AFC Cup tie against Al Wehdat sessions later.
This was followed by Mohun Bagan skipper deciding not to travel to Jaipaiguri though there are suggestions that the player had some niggling injuries.
In another occasion, Bhutia did not travel with the team for I-League match against Mahindra United in Delhi, Mitra pointed out in the letter.
After he joined a dance reality show on television, Bhutia had to shuffle between Kolkata and Mumbai every week.
However, Bhutia had taken permission from the club and coach Karim Bencherifa before embarking on his dance journey.
It remains to be seen the next course of action from Bhutia, who still has a year in his contract left with the club.
