Indian boxing’s image continued to take a massive beating with the Sports Authority of India on Sunday expelling Olympic medallist Vijender Singh’s roommate Ram Singh from the national camp here after he confessed to consuming drugs.
Executive Director of NIS LS Ranawat confirmed Ram Singh’s expulsion here after his questioning by the Punjab Police in connection with a case of drug haul in Fatehgarh Sahab district.
“Ram will be relieved from the camp here from Monday,” said Ranawat adding that Vijender would continue to remain in the camp.
The official communication regarding Ram’s expulsion from the camp has not yet been received but information for his expulsion has been received telephonically, he added.
Asked about Ram Singh’s presence in the national camp he said initially he was not in the list and was inducted only after the recommendation of Vijender.
Ram is being summoned daily for questioning by the Fatehgarh Sahab Police following the arrest of two persons with 26 kg of heroin from a flat in Zirakpur area of Mohali district.
An SUV registered in the name of Vijender’s wife, Archana, was recovered by the police from near the flat where an NRI Anup Singh Kahlon and his driver were arrested. Four persons were arrested later taking the number of those arrested to six.
Ram, during interrogation on Saturday, had claimed that the duo “consumed small quantities of drug” on a few occasions, which was given to them by Kahlon, who attempted suicide under police custody on Saturday.
Ram told the Police that Kahlon had first given him about 2 grams of heroin in December last year without charging money.
He also said the first time Vijender took the contraband was when the two were driving from Chandigarh to National Institute of Sports in Patiala.
He also told the police that he and Vijender had not participated in any competitive event after consumption of the drug.
Vijender, a former world number one, gave India its first Olympic medal in boxing when he clinched a bronze in the 2008 Games. Besides, he is an Asian Games gold-medallist and a multiple-time Commonwealth Games medallist.
Considered the poster boy of Indian boxing, Vijender has stated that he is not involved in the scandal and does not know the alleged drug peddler caught by the police.
Earlier, Ram claimed that the Vijender consumed drugs with him on a few occasions but insisted that the duo mistook the contraband for food supplements.
“Me and Vijender experimented with drugs thinking that they were food supplements. We did not know that we were taking drugs. We were told that we were consuming food supplements meant to increase strength and stamina,” Ram told reporters after being questioned by the police in Fatehgarh Sahib.
