Vijender and I consumed small quantities of heroin, says Ram Singh

Chandigarh: Olympic medallist boxer Vijender Singh`s friend and sparring partner Ram Singh claimed that the duo "consumed small quantities of drug" on a few occasions, which was given to them by NRI Anup Singh Kahlon, key accused in a heroin haul case, who attempted suicide under police custody today.

Punjab Police sources said that Ram Singh had told the police during his questioning that Vijender, who is currently employed as DSP with the Haryana Police, and he had consumed 1-3 grams of heroin given to them by Kahlon, the key accused currently under arrest. The sources said that Ram Singh had told them that he had met Kahlon in the past but feigned ignorance about his criminal connections. Ram told the Fatehgarh Sahib Police that Kahlon had first given him about 2 grams of heroin in December last year without charging money. After that, between January 1 and February 26 this year, he and Vijender had consumed the drug on 2-3 occasions. He also said that the first time Vijender had taken the contraband when the duo were driving from Chandigarh to National Institute of Sports in Patiala. Ram Singh told the police that Vijender took the drug because he wanted to know why the former had vomited and what substance he had used. Ram has maintained that neither he nor Vijender was habitual drug user and that their consumption of the drug was an "experiment". He also told the police that he and Vijender had not participated in any competitive event after consumption of the drug. Punjab Police today began the process of scrutinising phone call details of Kahlon to probe if Vijender and his friend, Ram Singh, a national level boxer, had in the past been in touch with him. Ram Singh, who had joined the investigations yesterday, was summoned by the Fatehgarh Sahib Police today, but Mann refused to divulge whether Vijender would also be grilled. Asked if Vijender, who hails from Bhiwani district and is a Haryana Police DSP rank officer, would be questioned, the SSP said, "We haven`t taken any final decision on this yet. We haven`t concluded anything yet in this regard. "We are scrutinising the phone call details of Kahlon of past one or two months to see if he was in touch with Vijender and Ram Singh," Mann said. Vijender, 27, had trashed as "ridiculous" allegations that he has links with the alleged NRI drug deal and claimed they would be proved wrong in investigations. Police said teams have been sent to different locations to nab wrestler Jagdish Bhola, a former Punjab police cop, named by Kahlon as the kingpin of the gang. Bhola, an Arjun awardee, was recruited in 1993 in Bathinda district and later he was made an inspector following 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`. Bhola was also given the rank of DSP. However, he was first booked for smuggling contraband in 2001 and was declared a proclaimed offender. In January, 2002 Bathinda police registered a case under various sections of the NDPS Act against Bhola for his alleged involvement in drug smuggling. He was also dismissed from service. Police had recovered 26 kg of heroin, worth an estimated Rs 130 crore, from Kahlon`s house in Shivalik Vihar in Zirakpur on the city outskirts in Mohali district on Thursday. The SUV, registered in Vijender`s wife Archana`s name, was found by police near the NRI`s house. Ram Singh also told the police that he used to keep the SUV with him sometimes when asked to do so by Vijender. Mann said investigation in the case was under progress and the six accused were being interrogated. PTI