IANS

Kolkata, Jun 8: Mohun Bagan Monday suspended soccer star Bhaichung Bhutia for six months, alleging that the striker has given an ?unsatisfactory" reply to the show cause notice slapped on him by the I-League club.

"The reply came after the 48-hour deadline. It was not a proper one, and full of irrelevant statements," club vice president Subrata Mukherjee told newspersons after an executive committee meeting.

Last month Mohun Bagan issued the show cause notice to Bhutia after he skipped some practice sessions and an exhibition game to take part in the dance reality show "Jhalak dikhla Ja". The player was asked to reply within 48 hours.

"Because of the unsatisfactory reply, the executive committee decided to suspend him for six months," Mukherjee, a former Kolkata mayor, said.

However, there will be no bar on the Indian captain from turning out for the national side.

Peeved at the notice, Bhutia had said that he was no more interested in playing for Mohun Bagan. The Sikkim-born player was understood to be negotiating with the other city giant East Bengal.