Boxer Vijender not involved in drug racket: Police

Fatehgarh Sahib (Punjab) - Punjab Police on Friday said boxer Vijender Singh was not involved in a drug smuggling racket.

However, police said that they found a car registered in Vijender’s wife Archana’s name near the alleged drug peddler’s flat — but no contraband was found in it.

Earlier on late Thursday evening, Fatehgarh Sahib police had conducted raids at a flat in Zirakpur town in Mohali district and had recovered 26 kg heroin worth Rs. 130 crore in the international market.

The flat belongs to NRI Anoop Singh Kahlon and is in Swastik Vihar area in Zirakpur, 10 km from state capital Chandigarh.

During the interrogation, Kahlon said pugilists Vijender Singh and Ram Singh were his clients and they used to visit him. However, police have refuted these allegations against the boxers.

“We recovered Vijender’s car from near the NRI’s house but it does not indicate his involvement in the drugs racket. We will call Vijender for questioning, if required,” said Hardyal Singh Mann, senior superintendent of Fathegarh Sahib police.

Asian Games gold medallist and Olympics bronze medallist Vijender has denied the allegations.

“It is rubbish. I do not know this drug peddler. I am in Mumbai for work. My friends had dropped me at the airport in my wife’s car. I do not know how it reached the Zirakpur flat. Nothing has been recovered from the car,” Vijender said.

Kahlon, a Canada-based NRI who works as a truck driver, and Kulwinder Singh alias Rocky, of Nawanshahar Badala village in Mohali district, were arrested from Zirakpur by Fatehgarh Sahib district police late on Thursday. Both the accused were presented in a local court on Friday and were sent to four days’ police remand.

While Vijender is a deputy superintendent of police in Haryana, Ram Singh – a Punjab police officer – is training at NIS in Patiala, ahead of an international championship.

Fatehgarh Sahib is 45 km from Chandigarh.