Vijender has no clear links with alleged drug dealer, according to initial probe

The Punjab Police have said that they have found nothing in their initial inquiries to suggest a link between boxer Vijender Singh and an alleged drug dealer arrested after a major drug bust near Chandigarh. A car belonging to the boxer's wife was allegedly found parked outside the man's home.

The police said they are looking at every angle and could question the Olympic bronze medal winner, if needed. Right now, another national level boxer, Ram Singh, who is Vijender's friend, is being questioned.  Ram Singh is in the Punjab Police.

Vijender Singh has told NDTV, "I meet so many people, I met this guy also through somebody...but I don't know him personally. I was in Mumbai. May be my friend took my car and parked it at Anup Singh's house. He may be using my name to find an escape route."

The alleged dealer, a man named Anup Singh Kahlon, was arrested on the weekend at a checkpoint in Punjab with 600 gms of heroin. After interrogating him, the police raided his flat in Zirakpur near Chandigarh and found 26 kgs of drugs, including heroin. Of this, about 10 kg was in a car parked outside the apartment. The total consignment was worth 130 crores, according to the police.

One of the cars parked near the apartment belongs to Archana, Vijendra's wife.

But Press Trust of India has quoted a police officer as saying, "In the initial probe there has been nothing to tell. Besides, it appears there is no link of the boxer with the person from whose house the heroin was seized."

Vijender won a bronze medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics becoming the first Indian pugilist to win an Olympic medal. He also won a gold medal at the 2010 Asian Games.

Vijender was awarded the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna the same year. In 2009, he claimed bronze in World Amateur Boxing Championships after which he climbed to World No.1 in middleweight (75-kgs) category, when the rankings were released by International Boxing Association.

Vijender, though, could not progress beyond the quarters in the 2012 London Olympics after he lost to Abbos Atoev of Uzbekistan 13-17.