Four players who were part of SC East Bengal’s squad in the recently-concluded ISL VII have sent notices to the club, asking for their outstanding salaries. The players are Balwant Singh, CK Vineeth, Eugenesen Lyndoh and Anil Chawan. All the four footballers were deemed to be surplus by SC East Bengal team management after the initial days of ISL VII and were asked to leave the squad.

If East Bengal do not pay up within 15 days from the day the letter was sent, these players have the right to terminate their contracts and move the arbitration body which is the All India Football Federation.

East Bengal sneaked into the ISL, the country’s No. 1 football league, late last year after Hari Mohan Bangur-owned Shree Cement came on board as an investor. The Robbie Fowler-coached team had a horrible debut season, losing both Derbies to ATK Mohun Bagan and finishing ninth in the 11-team league.

There is some good news for SC East Bengal, though. The appeals committee of the AIFF on Tuesday revoked the two-window transfer ban imposed on the football club. This came after SC East Bengal had appealed against the ban. Even though the impasse over the signing of the final agreement between the club and investor continues, this decision comes a huge relief to the fans.

The Telegraph had reported on February 25 that the players status committee of AIFF has barred the team from signing players.

“The transfer ban anyway would have been overturned since the players status committee had jumped the gun,” a source said.

The two-window transfer ban came for non-payment of salaries to footballers by erstwhile investor Quess Corp to players like Pintu Mahata, Gurwinder Singh, Abhas Thapa and Rakshit Dagar.