Aide’s confession puts Vijender in trouble

March 10, 2013

Vijender_in_trouble

Chandigarh, Mar 10: Olympic medallist Vijender Singh appears to be heading for some trouble, with fellow boxer Ram Singh confessing before the Punjab Police that the duo had “experimented” with heroin towards the end of 2012.

The police on Thursday seized 26 kg of heroin valued at Rs 130 crore in the international market from two persons, identified as Anoop Singh Kahlon and Rocky.

Ram Singh, who has been Vijender’s roommate at the National Institute of Sports (NIS) in Patiala for several years, told the police that he had procured drugs from the two persons arrested in the case around six times till February. Singh, however, clarified that neither he nor Vijender was habituated to drugs.

Meanwhile, Kahlon, a Canada-based NRI?and former national level short putter, tried to commit suicide in police custody on Friday evening.

The alleged kingpin of an international drug racket slit his wrist with a wire. He was immediately rushed to hospital and discharged after treatment.

The police are yet to summon Vijender. They are ascertaining the veracity of the charges against the ace boxer. As of now, there is no direct evidence to link Vijender with peddlers.

The police have so far made six arrests in the case and seized some chemical substances.

According to sources, Ram Singh told the police that the duo had visited Kahlon’s Zirakpur residence on a few occasions since they started dabbling in heroin in December last year.

Singh also confessed to have made Vijender try heroin.

Vijender has trashed the allegations. “I completely deny the allegations. I do not know the person in question and I am not involved with him in any way. I may have met him but don’t know him personally or directly. I am more than willing to cooperate with the police and I have nothing to hide. My wife’s car being found at the scene is just a coincidence. The person in custody is possibly using my name to mislead the authorities and malign me.

My focus is and has always been my career,” he said.

Vijender came under the scanner after a car registered in the name of his wife was found outside Kahlon’s residence. Vijender is a recipient of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award and a deputy SP with the Haryana Police.

Another name that cropped up during the interrogations was that of wrestler Jagdish Bhola, a former police officer and Arjuna award recipient. Bhola is facing cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.

The Punjab Police have recovered 10 kg of narcotics, used mainly in rave parties, from his house in Mohali district.

The contraband was valued at over Rs 1 crore in the international market. The police said the drugs were supplied to rave parties in Mumbai and Himachal Pradesh.

Bhola was earlier deputed as a DSP in Punjab, but suspended in 2002 after his name figured in a drug racket. He was also stripped of the Arjuna award. “We got a tip-off that drugs have been kept at Jagdish’s house during the interrogation of an international drug smuggler. We conducted raids, but Jagdish managed to flee. He is wanted in many other cases related to drug smuggling,” said the senior superintendent of the Fatehgarh Sahib police, who led the raid.

However, the police managed to arrest two accomplices of Jagdish and recovered Rs 1 crore in cash, 20 kg of narcotic chemicals and 2 kg of heroin. They were identified as Manpreet Singh and Gabbar Singh.

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News Network
March 31,2020

New Delhi, Mar 31: Australia batsman David Warner on Tuesday decided to shave off his head to show support towards all those people who are working relentlessly on the frontline in the battle against coronavirus.

After shaving off his head, Warner also challenged his Australian team-mate Steve Smith and India skipper Virat Kohli to do the same.

Warner, shared a time-lapse video on Instagram, of him shaving his head, and captioned the post as: "Been nominated to shave my head in support of those working on the frontline #Covid-19 here is a time-lapse. I think my debut was the last time I recall I've done this. Like it or not".

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Australia's death toll stands at 19, as per the Sydney Morning Herald.

As of 8 am today, 4460 people across Australia have tested positive for COVID-19.

The World Health Organisation had termed coronavirus as a 'pandemic' on March 11.

Earlier in the day, Australia Test skipper Tim Paine also confirmed that the side's tour of Bangladesh is unlikely due to the virus spread.
"You don't have to be Einstein to realise (the Bangladesh tour) is probably unlikely to go ahead, particularly in June. Whether it's cancelled or pushed back, we're not quite sure at the moment," cricket.com.au quoted Paine as saying.

Currently, Australia has 296 points in the WTC from 10 matches, while India has 360 points from nine matches.

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News Network
June 13,2020

Melbourne, Jun 13: Former Australia wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist and current opener David Warner have expressed gratitude to two Indian students for helping people in the country during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gilchrist thanked Sharon Varghese, an Indian student who did her Bachelors in Nursing from the University of Wollongong.

Varghese has been was working on the frontline along with other health care workers to look after the residents of aged-care during the global health crisis.

"She gave up her time to work as an aged-care worker throughout that time. Sharon, I want to say congratulations on the selfless act and for wanting to thank people in Australia because you have enjoyed three and a half years living here. And that’s wonderful to hear," Gilchrist said in a video message.

"Just want to let you know, all of Australia, all of India and more importantly, your family will be so very proud of your efforts."

In another short video, Warner thanked Queensland-based Indian student, Shreyas Sheth.

"Namaste. I am here to say thank you to Shreyas Sheth who is doing selfless work to help others during the COVID crisis. Shreyas is doing his Masters in Computer Science at the University of Queensland and he has been part of University’s outreach program, preparing and delivering food packets to students in need right now," Warner said in the video.

"So I just want to say ‘good on ya’. I am sure your mum and dad and India are proud of you. Keep up the great work."

The videos were shared by Austrade India official twitter account, which have hit almost 10 thousand views in last one week.

Apart from the two cricketers, another Social Media Influencer Amy Aela also sent her thank you note to Liya, an Indian student from Griffith university for her work in providing mental health support to communities in Australia during the pandemic.

"Liya I just want to thank you...we definately need more people like you...just remember that Australia is so so proud of you, India is proud of you..please keep up the good work," Aela said.

Former Australian footballer Craig Foster also sent his thank you message to another Indian origin nurse Arushi from Deakin University. More than 100,000 Indian students are studying in Australia, currently making them one of the biggest cohorts of international students in the country.

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News Network
May 14,2020

May 14: Veteran South Africa batsman Faf du Plessis has proposed a two-week isolation period for players before and after the T20 World Cup as a way to stage the event as per schedule later this year.

Like other sports, cricketing action too has come to a complete halt due to the coronavirus pandemic. The fate of the T20 World Cup to be held in Australia in October-November is shrouded in uncertainty.

Talking to Bangladesh ODI captain Tamim Iqbal, du Plessis said travel was going to be an issue despite Australia being less affected by the deadly contagion.

"I am not sure... reading that travelling is going to be an issue for lot of countries and they are talking about December or January. Even if Australia is not affected like other countries, to get people from Bangladesh, South Africa or India where there is more danger, obviously it's a health risk to them," du Plessis said.

"But you can go in before the tournament (for) two weeks isolation and then play the tournament and afterwards two weeks isolation," said the former captain.

Several countries across the globe, including South Africa, Australia and India, have travel restrictions in place and the veteran Proteas batsman joked travelling by boat is not an option.

"But I don't know when South Africa will open their travel ban because we can't go there like old days on boats," du Plessis said.

In March, South Africa's ODI series against India was called off after the first match in view of the pandemic.

The coronavirus outbreak, which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has infected more than 44 lakh people worldwide while causing close to 3 lakh deaths.

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