Chandigarh: After boxer Vijender Singh refused to submit samples for drug testing, the Punjab Police is seeking court orders to collect them. The police have said that the samples have to be collected in the presence of its investigation Officer.
Sources said that the refusal of Vijender, who is a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in Haryana Police, to give the two samples during his questioning for nearly four hours at Panchkula in Haryana late on Wednesday evening, went against him. "We will adopt the lawful procedure available to us to seek his blood and hair samples," the sources said said, adding the option of moving court is being examined.
Hair tests can show if the person under scrutiny has taken drugs like heroin in the previous 90 days. Blood test can reveal whether he regularly consumes heroin or other drugs. Vijender's answers given on Wednesday evening to a two member team of Punjab police comprising a DSP and Inspector are being examined in the light of the probe so far, including the statements of the boxer's sparring partner Ram Singh that the duo consumed heroin thinking it was "food supplement". He is expected to be summoned again for questioning, the sources said.
A report from Patiala said Vijender, Olympic bronze medalist, has applied for leave till March 14 from the national boxing camp currently on at the Netaji Subhash National Institute of Sports in Patiala. Sources said Vijender was to join at Patiala on Sunday, but after his failure to re-join,the institute had given him time till Thursday to join the camp.
Executive Director of NS NIS LS Ranawat declined to comment on the issue of Vijender's joining back and said that "Sorry, I have been advised to avoid press in this case". Similar comments were expressed by Indian Boxing coach GS Sandhu, when approached. It is not yet certain that whether NIS has accepted Vijender Singh's leave application or forwarded it to Sports Authority of India's (SAI) Delhi office.
Meanwhile, NIS has relieved Vijender's roommate Ram Singh on Monday and issued orders that he is not entitled to use any of facilities of NIS which has sent a communication to the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Delhi with a copy to the Indian Boxing Federation.
Vijender had on Wednesday evening refused to give his blood sample to the Punjab police which quizzed him for nearly four hours in the drug haul case. Fatehgarh Sahib SSP Hardyal Singh Mann said Vijender refused to give samples of his blood and hair during the process of questioning in Panchkula without giving reasons for doing so. "As per the procedure, in the presence of two private witnesses, he was asked for his consent for giving his blood and hair samples required for forensic examination for investigation purpose, which he refused," the SSP said in a statement.
Highly placed sources, however, said that the boxer was quizzed for nearly four hours on his links with Kahlon and about the SUV registered in the name of his wife, Archana, found near the NRI's residence. The sources said that Vijender's answers are being tallied with the statements given by his sparring partner Ram Singh and seven other arrested, including Kahlon since last week.
Vijender was also questioned about his visits to Kahlon as claimed by Ram Singh. The names of Vijender and Ram Singh had emerged after the recovery of 26 kg of heroin worth Rs 130 crore was recovered from Kahlon's residence in Zirakpur. Besides Kahlon six others including his driver Kulwinder Singh alias Rockey, Kuldip Singh (father of Rockey), Sandeep Singh (brother-in-law of Rockey), Gabbar Singh, Manpreet Singh Gill alias Mani and a Ludhiana-based Pharma company employee Sunil Katyal have been arrested.
With Additional Inputs from PTI
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