Pal was absent during the hearing

New Delhi: The appeals committee of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) Saturday deferred a decision on Mohun Bagan?s suspended goalkeeper Subrata Pal. The two-member committee ? comprising AIFF?s legal expert and Supreme Court advocate Vijay Panjwani, and N.K. Bhatia (Delhi Soccer Association secretary) ? raised certain queries and allowed Bagan some days to give their reply.

The appeals committee will re-assemble on February 18 to take any further decision. If Pal is pardoned and his suspension reduced, he will only be able to play three matches for Bagan before the end of the first phase on March 2. As no decision was reached Saturday, Pal is not available for the home tie against State Bank of Travancore (SBT) on February 16.

Subrata Pal was not present at the hearing, despite being requested to attend. Mohun Bagan were represented by R.K. Bharadwaj. The third member of the appeals committee, R.K. Anand also did not attend the hearing due to some personal work.

The committee Saturday viewed the video clippings and read through the disciplinary committee report. Their view was that even though the medical reports and autopsy confirms that Cristiano Junior?s death was due to a heart attack, Pal?s approach to the advancing striker was aggressive. The raised hand was seen as a malevolent action.

As Pal, has been involved in off the ball incidents in the past also, Bharadwaj was asked to furnish evidence of punishments given to Pal, for previous misconduct. Incidents cited were the 2004 Durand semi-finals against Salgaocar and final against East Bengal. In both matches, Pal had left the goal area and rushed out aggressively to query the referee?s decisions and had manhandled opposing players.

Bharadwaj replied that Pal had been docked a month?s salary for his violent conduct during the 2004 Durand tournament in Delhi.