Boxers and Punjab drugs: There is too much police link

Chandigarh, March 9: Even as one of the key accused in the drug haul case from Zirakpur allegedly attempted suicide, there is a strong police link in the case and the Pubjab police have lot to explain.

"The key accused Anup Singh Kahlon attempted suicide. He took out a wire from the bucket used for bathing and tried to slit his wrist with it, but he is out of danger," Fatehgarh Sahib's Senior Superintendent of Police, H S Mann said on Saturday.

The accused was safe and provided medical aid, the SSP said, adding that no major injury was sustained in the suicide attempt.

But what is baffling is the fact that only two high profile names are being floated by the Punjab police. If the drug peddler was operating for long and had 26 kg of heroin, only two consumers names are being mentioned.

As a coincidence, both Vijender Singh and Ram Singh, who singing so much to trap himself and Vijender , are also police officials.

Vijender, 27 is a Haryana Police DySP rank officer and Ram Singh is a Punjab police inspector.

Ludhiana Range DIG M F Faooqui, who also holds charge of Patiala Range, in a statement had said that Anoop Singh Kahlon "made certain disclosures concerning a few sportsmen, including boxers Vijender Singh and Ram Singh, which are presently being examined."

The six arrested persons are Canada-based Kahlon, his driver Kulwinder Singh Rockey, the driver's father Kuldeep Singh, the driver's brother-in-law Sandeep Singh, Manpreet Singh Gill alias Mani and Gabbar Singh.

Police had on Friday said that during interrogation Kahlon had alleged that Vijender and Ram Singh, a Punjab police inspector, were his "clients" and used to visit him.

Why is Punjab police silent on other clients is the questions that comes back to seek answer.

Curiously, the police had said that during interrogation Kahlon named a wrestler Jagdish Bhola as the kingpin of the gang and he was absconding. If one digs deep, it emerges that Bhola was also once a police officer in the service of the Punjab police.

Bhola, an Arjun awardee, was recruited in 1993 in Bathinda district and later he became an inspector for his achievements in wrestling. He came into limelight when he was named for the Arjuna Award and also won the title of 'Rustum-e-Hind'.

However, during the service as inspector, Bhola broke ranks and was booked for smuggling of contraband in 2001. He was declared a proclaimed offender. In January, 2002 Bathinda police had registered a case under various sections of the NDPS Act against Bhola for his alleged involvement in drug smuggling.

The Punjab police have been also revealing some juicy details.

It was the middle of December 2012, Beijing Olympics bronze medallist Vijender Singh and Ram Singh, a national champion, began experimenting with heroin, top Punjab police officials claimed.

Investigators said they summoned Ram for questioning on Friday, and he "admitted" that he was in touch with Kahlon since 2007 and introduced Vijender to him a year ago.

Ram, who is a native of Patiala, is alleged to have confessed that he had taken the drug at least six times from the now-arrested peddlers and consumed it with Vijender.

According to the police in the third week of December last, Ram had come to Chandigarh from Patiala to drop Vijender at the airport as the latter was going to Mumbai. On the way back, Ram for the first time took a small quantity of heroin from the peddlers and "experimented" alone, it is alleged. When Vijender came back from Mumbai, Ram made him try some of the contraband too.

After the alleged disclosure, Ram, who is under the "supervision" of the police, was got medically examined. "As of now, it appears Ram Singh is not addicted to the drug, and hopefully similar is the case of Vijender. We will give Ram the best medical help by putting him on a de-addiction regimen if required," said police officials.

However, the police officials are keeping the case open by suggesting that the boxers are under the scanner to fin'd out whether they intentionally or even unknowingly let their vehicles be used for transporting the contraband.

Wait and watch this police story.

OneIndia News