Arjuna awardee boxer suspended on bribery charge

Haryana Police have placed their international-level boxer Jai Bhagwan under suspension following allegations that he had accepted a bribe of Rs.1 lakh, police said on Wednesday.

Bhagwan is alleged to have received the bribe amount from three gamblers who were arrested in August in Haryana's Hisar district, a police official said.

Bhagwan, who was honoured with the Arjuna Award in 2014, is working with Haryana Police as an inspector and posted in Hisar district.

The boxer and another constable Anil Kumar were placed under suspension by Hisar district police chief Satender Kumar Gupta on Tuesday following an enquiry by police.

One of the arrested gamblers, a businessman, had approached police with a complaint against Jai Bhagwan.

He alleged that Bhagwan was demanding Rs.10,000 more through constable Anil Kumar even after the earlier payment of Rs.1 lakh was made to him as bribe to release the gamblers.

Jai Bhagwan has represented India in the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and other international events. He won a bronze medal in the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Gupta said a regular probe has now been initiated against the police officials.