Vijender quizzed, says no to blood, hair tests

March 12, 2013

Vijender_SinghFatehgarh Sahib/Chandigarh, Mar 12: Beijing Olympic bronze medalist Vijender Singh was questioned for five hours by the police at Panchkula Police Lines on Monday in connection with the recovery of 26 kg of heroin worth Rs 130 crore last week. Asked by a team comprising both Punjab and Haryana police for his hair and blood samples, Vijender refused saying he would find it humiliating.

"I am not going to do this because I haven't taken the drug and giving the samples would be insulting to me," Vijender said, according to Punjab police DGP Sumedh Singh Saini.

Incidentally, substance detection period by hair tests confirms that drugs like heroin and morphine tend to lie down on the hair shaft and if the hair sample is long enough, drug testers may be able to determine when the drug use occurred over a 90-day period. The police have already sent Vijender's sparring partner Ram Singh's hair and blood samples to Fatehgarh Sahib civil hospital for testing.

Asked about 50 phone calls made from his mobile phone to Anoop Singh Kahlon, the jailed NRI from Canada and alleged drug peddler, Vijender sounded evasive. "My fans must have used the phone," he replied, according to police sources. On being questioned what he meant, Vijender reportedly said, "It must have been people at NIS who admire my boxing."

Vijender was also asked about the recovery of his Ford Endeavour near the flat of prime accused Anoop Singh Kahlon, an NRI from Canada and alleged drug peddler, and also about the statement of his sparring partner Ram Singh that the two had taken small quantities of the drug as "food supplements". The police declined to make public Vijender's replies to these questions.

Vijender reached Chandigarh at 11.30 am on Monday from Gurgaon, after being summoned by Haryana Police. He reached Police Lines in Panchkula at four pm and was joined by investigators of Punjab Police around 4.45 pm. The questioning began around five pm and Vijender came out of the room for a short while around 7.30 pm to speak to someone on his mobile phone, before going back in. His quizzing continued until 10pm.

It's learnt that the Haryana police decided to call Vijender after Punjab Police also wrote to them, asking them to call their "drug-consumer DSP" to join investigation in connection with the Rs 130-crore drug haul in Mohali. "International boxing star and Haryana Police DSP Vijender Singh has been consuming drugs and the details of his involvement have been shared with you. The investigation with him would be done in Haryana with the three investigation officers of Punjab joining the probe," the letter read.

"Our list of corroborating evidence against Vijender is growing. His friend Ram Singh and drug lord Anoop Singh Kahlon have made long confessions to us. We have text messages and phone call records," said SSP Fatehgarh Sahib district, Hardyal Singh Mann. However, he ruled out Vijender's involvement in peddling.

Punjab Police sources also said at least two corporate lawyers representing Vijender had reached Fatehgarh Sahib on Sunday. "They said that if we need to communicate with Vijender, it has to be through them. We refused to entertain them," said Mann. He added that Ram Singh was showing withdrawal symptoms like insomnia and restlessness after his detention.

"He mentions heroin and then stops short of making a pressing demand for it. Ten times a day, he seeks glucose-like energy drinks, often keeping awake for long hours after midnight," said Mann.

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News Network
April 28,2020

Chennai, Apr 28: Former Karnataka batsman J Arun Kumar was on Tuesday appointed coach of the USA cricket team and listed earning a Test status, by his own admission a "far-fetched" thought at the moment, among his long-term goals.

Jak, as he is known in the cricketing circles, has worked with the Karnataka team for several years and as batting coach with IPL franchise Kings XI Punjab.

"... Following an exhaustive recruitment process, former first class Ranji Trophy and IPL player and coach, J Arun Kumar, had been identified as the preferred candidate for the next men's head coach," USA Cricket chief executive Iain Higgins said on its website.

The CEO added, "He travelled to the USA to meet support staff, selectors and players at a talent camp in Houston and to continue those discussions with us.

"I'm delighted to say that we have subsequently reached agreement with Jak that he will take up the role and be permanently based in the United States as and when his working visa has been obtained."

Arun Kumar was also in charge of a fledgling Puducherry team before quitting in February owing to differences with the association officials.

The COVID-19 pandemic has however prevented a prompt departure for the United States.

"Of course, the COVID-19 crisis has now presented some challenges around the scope of the role in the short/medium term, but we look forward to completing all of the arrangements and to welcoming him more formally in due course," Higgins said.

Arun kumar, who scored over 7,200 runs in first-class cricket and over 3,000 runs in List 'A' games, had guided Karnataka to a treble for two successive seasons -- Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy and Irani Cup -- in 2013-14 and 2014-15.

Delighted to get the role, the 45-year old said he has a vision for USA cricket, including making it a Test-playing nation.

"The first thing is based on my visa and when the coronavirus situation will end in the US, so it's all based on that. At what time my visa will be approved, that's when I will be heading there.

"There are long, mid and short-term goals and my vision obviously will be that the USA in the coming years will be one of the Test playing nations.

"It's a far-fledged goal, but yes, that's the vision and as of now the short term will be World Cup league.

"We will have to be the top side in that and then go to the next level," Arun Kumar told PTI in an interaction.

He further said the immediate aim is to get the team together after a bad run in Nepal.

"Priority is to get the team together, we had a bad run in Nepal, so obviously the team is on little down slide, so we will get up and the immediate short-term goal is to get in touch with players.

"This lockdown gives us time to actually know each other, although we are spread out in different parts of the country, and it is gives us time to connect better and work on certain mental and tactical aspects of the game," he added.

Arun Kumar had been in the US briefly some time ago and had met some officials, selectors and players at a camp in Houston.

"I met some officials, selectors and players at a talent camp in Houston and got an insight of what I can expect in the future and based on those we have designed a pathway for junior to senior cricket and women's cricket.

"It is a work in progress," he said.

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News Network
February 11,2020

Mt. Maunganui (New Zealand), Feb 11: KL Rahul struck a combative 112 but New Zealand completed a 3-0 whitewash of India by winning the third ODI by five wickets, here on Tuesday.

Rahul helped India recover from a shaky start to post a challenging 296 for 7 but the Kiwis overhauled the target with 17 balls to spare.

This is the first whitewash that India has suffered in an ODI series in more than a decade.

Sent in to bat, India were down 62 for 3 in the 13th over after the dismissals of Mayank Agarwal (1), captain Virat Kohli (9) and Prithvi Shaw (40) but Rahul got a useful ally in in-form Shreyas Iyer (62) to take India to a competitive total.

Rahul, who hit nine fours and two sixes during his 113-ball innings, and Iyer stitched exactly 100 runs from 18.2 overs for the fourth wicket to revive the Indian innings.

After the end of the promising innings of Iyer, Rahul shared another 107 runs for the fifth wicket with Manish Pandey (42).

The Kiwis were off to a confident start in their chase with Martin Guptill (66) and Henry Nicholls (80) and putting on a 106-run stand. However, wrist spinner Yuzvendra Chahal took three wickets to bring India back in the game.

Colin de Grandhomme (58) and Tom Latham (32), though, took their side past the finish line with an unbeaten 80-run partnership.

Brief Scores:

India: 296 for 7 in 50 overs (KL Rahul 112, Shreyas Iyer 62; Hamish Bennett 4/64).

New Zealand: 300 for 5 in 47.1 overs. (H Nicholls 80, M Guptill 66; Y Chahal 3/47).

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Agencies
March 1,2020

New Delhi, Mar 1: Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif on Sunday heaped praise on Ravindra Jadeja after the all-rounder took a spectacular catch on the second day of the Christchurch Test against New Zealand.

Jadeja grabbed a one-handed stunner at deep square leg in the 72nd over to dismiss Neil Wagner, who had to depart after scoring 21 runs.

"Sir Jadeja for a reason! Jadeja Airlines, flying high! Terrific stuff," Kaif tweeted.

In the match, Jadeja also impressed with the ball. The left-handed bowler took two wickets while giving away 22 runs.

On day two, India bundled out New Zealand on 235 runs in the second Test. However, in their second innings, Indian batsmen again struggled to tackle the New Zealand pacers and lost six wickets with a lead of just 97 runs.

India went to stumps at 90/6, with Trent Boult doing the majority of the damage with three wickets.

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