Vijender Singh, India’s star boxer who shot to fame by winning the bronze medal in Beijing Olympic Games, fired the first salvo on Saturday to defend his name following the Punjab drug bust.
Vijender rubbished the claim that he had been taking heroin for the past couple of months. He told HT: “I have never taken heroin or any other drug. I don’t know how many times I have to repeat this sentence.”
Earlier, Ram Singh, Vijender’s roommate at the National Institute of Sports, Patiala, claimed in a television interview that both he and Vijender had been experimenting with heroin.
Vijender said, “I am a sportsperson and know what is bad for my health. Why would I take drugs and risk my health and career?”
The Punjab Police said no decision had yet been taken on summoning Vijender for questioning.
On Ram’s claim that Vijender had met drug dealer and key accused in the case Anoop Singh Kahlon at least five times since December in Chandigarh, Vijender said, “I don’t deny that I met Kahlon.” But he denied having so many meetings with the alleged drug dealer.
“In December, I came to Chandigarh once and, that too, to attend a function of a dental college. I flew back to Mumbai the same evening. I am sure I didn’t meet Kahlon that day. I recall meeting him in the last week of February,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“In December, I came to Chandigarh once and, that too, to attend a function of a dental college. I flew back to Mumbai the same evening. I am sure I didn’t meet Kahlon that day. I recall meeting him in the last week of February,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}He clarified, “On a couple of occasions, I spoke to him over the phone, but I don’t remember who made the calls — he or I.”
Meanwhile, Kahlon allegedly attempted suicide on Saturday. “He took out a wire from the bucket used for bathing and tried to slit his wrist with it, but he is out of danger,” Fatehgarh Sahib SSP HS Mann said.