Amit Sheoran, a 31-year-old former national-level wrestler from Rohtak, Haryana, was arrested by Delhi Police on August 18 after nearly three years on the run in an alleged opium-smuggling case registered in Ranchi. Sheoran, a bronze medallist at the 2013 National Cadet Wrestling Championship, had been declared a proclaimed offender on December 6, 2023.
Police allege he sourced opium from Jharkhand for supply to wrestling training centres, or akhadas, in Delhi and Haryana. The case began after Jharkhand Police arrested alleged supplier Rajesh Nag with 492 grams of opium in April 2023.
During interrogation, Sheoran reportedly told police he had seen wrestlers consuming opium to extend their training sessions. The claim remains an allegation and does not establish widespread drug use among wrestlers at the centres he named. Sheoran has since been handed over to Jharkhand Police for further judicial proceedings.
Arrest Ends Three-Year Hunt
The arrest followed a joint operation by the Delhi Police Crime Branch and Jharkhand Police near Madhuban Chowk Metro Station on the night of August 18. Police said they received a “credible human intelligence input” about Sheoran’s movement in the Ranibagh-Pitampura area, where he was expected to meet a relative before travelling towards the metro station.
Investigators combined human intelligence with technical surveillance before laying a trap. Sheoran was identified by the Jharkhand investigating officer and apprehended at around 10 pm, according to the police account. He was subsequently handed over to Jharkhand Police.
The Delhi Police Crime Branch called the arrest “a major blow to organised crime”, attributing it to “continuous surveillance, strategic intelligence gathering and meticulously coordinated field operations” targeting people evading the judicial process.
From Wrestling To Alleged Trafficking
Sheoran’s sporting background is central to the case. Police said he began wrestling at the age of 14, trained at Mehar Singh Akhada in Rohtak and later at Delhi’s Chhatrasal Stadium. He competed at state and national levels and secured third place at the 2013 National Cadet Wrestling Championship in Kanyakumari.
According to investigators, Sheoran had hoped to join the Indian Railways but later worked as a bouncer at bars and nightclubs in Delhi. Police allege that an associate, identified as Ranjeet, lured him into drug trafficking by promising quick and easy money.
Investigators say Sheoran subsequently travelled to Ranchi to obtain opium from Rajesh Nag and allegedly supplied it to wrestlers practising in Haryana and Delhi. Police records also indicate that Sheoran is linked to six criminal cases, including allegations involving murder, attempt to murder, the Arms Act and NDPS offences. These remain allegations and do not amount to convictions.
The investigation itself dates to April 20, 2023, when Jharkhand Police arrested Rajesh Nag, a resident of Khunti district, and recovered 492 grams of opium from him. According to subsequent police accounts, Nag told investigators that he cultivated opium and that his supply was “specifically dedicated to the wrestlers of north India”. He allegedly named Sheoran as one of the recipients.
The disclosure led investigators to examine a suspected supply chain connecting Jharkhand with wrestling networks in North India. Police later registered the NDPS case at Dhurwa (Tupudana) police station in Ranchi. Reports also state that Sheoran’s bail applications before a sessions court and the Jharkhand High Court were dismissed.
What About The Opium Claims?
The most serious allegation emerging from Sheoran’s interrogation concerns drug use within wrestling circles. According to Delhi Police, Sheoran said he had observed wrestlers consuming opium while training at Mehar Singh Akhada and Chhatrasal Stadium.
Police quoted him as saying that “many wrestlers used to take opium to increase their working hours and practice sessions”. Investigators are examining the claim as part of the wider narcotics probe.
However, there is no evidence in the publicly available material reviewed for this report to conclude that wrestlers at either institution generally consume opium, nor have police publicly established the identities of the alleged users.
The statement is attributed to an accused person during interrogation and should therefore be treated as an allegation requiring independent corroboration.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Sheoran’s arrest highlights two concerns that deserve attention without turning one accused person’s allegations into a judgement on an entire sporting community. If investigators establish that narcotics were being supplied to athletes, the focus should be on dismantling the supply chain, holding those responsible accountable and ensuring that young sportspersons have access to safe, healthy training environments.
At the same time, allegations about drug use among wrestlers must be investigated carefully and transparently, because unverified claims can unfairly damage the reputation of athletes and institutions. Sport is meant to build discipline, resilience and opportunity, not expose young people to substance abuse or criminal networks.
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