E-Paper
Punjab CM has assured to look into Maha Kesari wrestler case: Supriya Sule
Sikandar was arrested by the Punjab police last week for his alleged links with the Papla Gurjar gang from Rajasthan and involvement in the illegal arms trade
Nationalist Congress Party/NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar/SP) executive president Supriya Sule and party MLA Rohit Pawar have urged Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann to intervene in the case of Maharashtra Kesari wrestler Sikandar Shaikh, who was recently arrested by the Punjab police for carrying weapons illegally.
Sule and Pawar spoke to Mann, exhorting him to ensure a fair probe. Sule shared that Mann has assured her of looking into the matter and sharing all information with her. On Monday Sule posted on X, “We discussed the case of Maharashtra Kesari wrestler Sikandar Shaikh with Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann. He has assured us that he will look into the matter and share all details by this afternoon.”
Earlier, Pawar had expressed doubts over the police action against the wrestler, hinting at the possibility of him being falsely implicated. “Sikandar Shaikh is a talented wrestler who has earned his place through hard work and skill. We don’t believe he could be involved in crime. It seems someone may have framed him considering his progress. The Maharashtra government should take up the issue with Punjab to ensure justice,” Pawar had said. The NCP (SP) MLA had said that it would be an injustice to a promising Maharashtrian wrestler like Sikandar if he was wrongly accused. Efforts are now underway through Sule to resolve the issue, Pawar said.
Sikandar was arrested by the Punjab police last week for his alleged links with the Papla Gurjar gang from Rajasthan and involvement in the illegal arms trade. According to the Mohali police, four men, including Sikandar and a Rajasthan-based gangster were arrested after five pistols and live cartridges were recovered from them. Two SUVs were also seized. The police said that they acted on a tipoff from near the Kharar-Mullanpur road on October 24, leading to the arrest of three men — Danveer and Banti from Mathura, and Sikandar from Maharashtra. The fourth accused, Krishan alias Happy Gujjar, was arrested later.
Sikandar’s father, Rashid Shaikh, a resident of Mohol in Solapur district, claimed that his son is innocent. “My son has worked hard to reach this level in wrestling. We come from a humble background. He would never do anything unlawful,” Rashid said, adding that the family has not received any official communication from the Punjab police.
Rashid further said that Sikandar had been training and coaching wrestlers in Punjab for several months, and had been preparing for the Hind Kesari tournament. “Those who want to stop his progress have framed him in a false case,” he alleged.
Several members of Maharashtra’s wrestling fraternity, too, suspect that Sikandar has been framed. Known for defeating top wrestlers from Punjab and Haryana, the 24-year-old has earned a strong reputation in the sport.
Sikandar, who trains at Gangavesh Talim in Kolhapur, previously worked in the Indian Army under the sports quota but resigned to pursue wrestling full-time. He rose to prominence during the 2023 Maharashtra Kesari tournament in Pune, and went on to win the title in 2024. Earlier this year, he also won the Rustam-e-Hind title in Jandiala, Punjab, and expressed his ambition to represent India at the 2026 Asian Games.
