East Bengal on Sunday named assistant coach Bikash Panji as the interim coach for the upcoming Durand Cup after tainted coach Subhash Bhowmick stepped aside following the alleged bribery scandal.

East Bengal secretary Kalyan Mazumdar told a crowded press conference after a long meeting in Kolkata, ''East Bengal has appointed assistant coach Bikash Panji as the coach of the side for Durand Cup as Subhash Bhowmick was in legal custody.''

He said that Bhowmick's wife had given a letter to the club authorities stating that he would not be able to perform his duties to his satisfaction as he was in a legal tangle.

Bhowmick requested the club, through the letter, to excuse him for the time being and promised to return to his duties once he was proved innocent.

Mazumdar said, ''We are not appointing any one as the coach for the time being. We will wait and see which way the matter proceeds and it is only after Durand Cup we will think about recruiting a permanent coach depending on the circumstances.''

Bhowmick was remanded to six days judicial custody on Saturday after being arrested by the CBI officials on December 2 for allegedly accepting bribe from a businessman.

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