After fleeing for almost 20 days, wrestler Sushil Kumar and his co-accused Ajay were arrested on Sunday morning by the Delhi Police’s Special Cell in Mundka area. The wrestler and the co-accused have been sent to police custody for 6 days, where the Delhi police will carry out further investigations to probe different prospects of the murder. Kumar has been accused of killing his 23-year-old co-wrestler Sagar Dhankad in Chhatrasal Stadium, Delhi.
Criminal Nexus Behind the Murder
Sources involved with the case have revealed that Kumar has connections with the notorious criminal of North India – Sandeep Kaala – alias, Kaala Jathedi. Jathedi’s nephew Sonu Mahal, who has 19 criminal cases against him, fought alongside Dhankad and has also been injured. “It’s not just a simple murder, different connections are involved including the underworld. Kumar is a part of this cobweb too. Delhi Police are investigating further to verify the charges,” said a Delhi Police inspector.
The investigation so far, has revealed that money lenders in Delhi use wrestlers as means to extract money from their borrowers. If they fail to return this informal loan, the wrestlers seize their borrowers’ property or other important documents forcefully. Evidently, the infamous criminal Neeraj Bawana extended his support to Kumar after Dhankad’s murder. Although Bawana was arrested two years ago, he continues to run a criminal gang from behind the bars. “Underworld is involved. Please wait until further investigations are done”, remarked the inspector.
The Track-Down
Kumar had been constantly changing his location and was travelling inter-state soon after an FIR was lodged against him for the murder of Dhankad. He visited Gurgaon to meet a contact and then went to Hari Nagar to meet his girlfriend. He was arrested in the Mundka region where he had used a Wi-Fi dongle in order to run internet on his mobile phone.
Reason Behind The Murder
According to sources, the probable reason for the murder could be a flat in the Model Town area of Delhi. “It’s a game of money, power, criminal minds and fame in the wrestling world. The wrestler had no money left with himself and was involved in money laundering business. Exact reason of murder is still being probed”, says Tarun Bhatia, a prominent criminal lawyer at the Delhi High Court.
Sushil Kumar has accepted his presence during the time of Dhankad’s murder. He had ordered a man named Prince to film Dhankad’s thrashings. The forensic tests have also confirmed Kumar’s presence at the site of the brawl.
The Special Investigating Team (SIT) has ordered a probe against the stadium where the incident took place.
Family’s Grief
Sagar Dhankad’s lamenting parents have urged the authorities to investigate the murder and Sushil Kumar’s links with the underworld. Dhankad’s mother mentioned that he considered Kumar his guru(mentor). However, she pointed out that Kumar was not fit to be a mentor and had anger issues and “bad influences”.
“This is not the first time he and his co-accused have been charged with connections with the underworld. It’s rational for Sagar’s mother to say that Sushil should be hanged,” said Bhatia.
Read more about the oxygen concentrator black marketing case
Kumar was a commercial officer at the Northern Railways. Following this incident, the Northern Railway CPRO Deepak Kumar said, “The wrestler will be suspended with immediate effect.” He was also an Officer on Special Duty at the Chhatrasal Stadium.
