The All India Football Federation, on Wednesday, sacked Shaji Prabhakaran as the secretary general of the national sports body.

“The All India Football Federation hereby announces that the services of Dr Shaji Prabhakaran have been terminated due to breach of trust with immediate effect as of November 7, 2023,” read a release from the apex sports body.

The deputy secretary general M Satyanarayan will now take charge as the acting secretary general of the federation.

Kalyan Chaubey, the president of the All India Football Federation, or AIFF, cited resentment about Prabhakaran’s functioning among state bodies as the reason for this move.

“There was a lot of resentment about his functioning among the members of the AIFF which forced us to terminate his contract,” Chaubey was quoted as saying by Sportstar.

Prabhakaran, in his defence, contested that his termination is irresponsible and part of a conspiracy.

“I must say that there must be some conspiracy behind this decision, which I am not able to understand,” Prabhakaran wrote in a letter addressed to the executive committee members of the federation, as per a report in News9.

“I must say, this is a totally irresponsible decision at a time when AIFF governance matter is still under discussion and scrutiny across. I have worked with 100% honesty, and I have not made any decision that was bad for football in India, and it is a fact that I didn’t interfere in the decision of the Judicial Bodies for which I was pressurized,” he further added.

Prabhakaran was appointed the secretary general of the AIFF in September last year as an ally to the federation’s new chief Chaubey.

Fifa had suspended the AIFF, which was lifted once the executive committee elections were held.