Sports Ministry to take action if Vijender Singh found guilty of taking drugs

New Delhi: Union Sports Minister Jitendra Singh on Monday said that appropriate action will be taken against Olympic bronze-medallist Vijender Singh, only if the boxer is found guilty in the drug scandal that has rocked Indian boxing.

"At this point of time, the investigation is going on by the Punjab Police. When the conclusion comes and somebody is implicated or chargesheeted, we will definitely take action," said Singh. "The guilty will be punished but that is the matter of Punjab Police. Investigation is being done by the Punjab Police," he added.

Super heavyweight pugilist Ram Singh has already been expelled from the National Institute of Sports (NIS) after admitting to consuming contraband. Ram, a former national championships medallist, has admitted to experimenting with drugs along with Vijender, who has denied the allegations.

A file photo of Olympic mediallist boxer Vijender Singh.

Their names cropped up after the unearthing of heroin worth Rs. 130 crore from Fatehgarh Sahib at an NRI's flat. An SUV registered in the name of Vijender's wife was found outside the flat during the police raid.

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. Ram was Vijender's room-mate at the NIS.

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