A five-member ISL regulatory commission is meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday to decide the quantum of punishment. The exclusive video accessed by NDTV, that shows Elano did nothing that merited an arrest by the Goa police, is also being presented as part of evidence. FC Goa spokesperson, however, said that they maintained their stand on the Elano incident.
Agencies
New Delhi
Elano Blumer's arrest following the 2015 Indian Super League (ISL) final in Goa on December 20 led to a massive controversy, with the Brazilian football star being accused of assaulting FC Goa co-owner and industrialist Dattaraj Salgaocar.
However, NDTV has accessed exclusive footage that shows Elano did nothing that merited an arrest by the Goa police.
The unedited footage clearly shows that Elano did not attack or get physical with anybody and that he was taken into police custody only on the behest of FC Goa owners.
A five-member ISL regulatory commission is meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday to decide the quantum of punishment. The exclusive video accessed by NDTV is also being presented as part of evidence.
On December 20, after Chennaiyin FC defeated FC Goa 3-2 in the ISL final, a fight broke out. Chennaiyin FC's marquee player Elano was accused by FC Goa co-owner Salgaocar of physically assaulting him in an altercation that occurred at the home team's dugout after the final whistle.
He filed an FIR in a local police station and subsequently Elano was arrested. Elano was slapped with charges under Indian Penal Code (IPC) 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (Punishment for wrongful restraint) and 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace).
Elano was subsequently released but only after spending a night in police custody.
Rahul Mehra, renowned sports lawyer, said the NDTV video footage showed that there was no aggression from Elano's side.
"Surely there is no wrongful restraint from Elano's side. Surely there is no aggression from his side. If at all, people are pushing him, slapping him and man handling Elano. I didn't see anything from Elano in your footage unless there are other clinching evidence with the police," he said.
FC Goa spokesperson, however, said that they maintained their stand on the Elano incident.
"We have maintained that on December 20th Elano Blumer was in the FC Goa dug out following the final whistle when he shouldn't have been. It is here that an untoward incident occurred and the player was asked to leave the FC Goa dug out," the spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, Novy Kapadia, football commentator, said that it was a case of misuse of power.
"After looking at the footage it seems very obvious that Elano was in a very relaxed mood. As a senior pro he was just going to calm down the FC Goa camp. Elano seems completely innocent. It is the frustration of FC Goa owners coming out. It is a case of misuse of power."
Arunava Chaudhuri, former COO of Mumbai City FC, said: "I was there in Goa that night and the footage proves what I saw is true. After watching this, I don't think Elano would want to come back to India."
