The Northern Railways has suspended two-time Olympic medalist Sushil Kumar after his arrest by the Delhi Police in the murder case of a 23-year-old wrestler at the Chhatrasal Stadium.

Kumar has been deputed with the Delhi government since 2015 onward as he held the posting of the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) at the aforementioned stadium for the development of sports at the school level.

He had even filed for an extension of this deputation in 2021 but the Delhi government had rejected that plea. Thereafter, the athlete was sent back to his present cadre, i.e. the Northern Railways where he was a senior commercial manager.

“A case against Sushil Kumar, (Ad Hoc)JAG/ IRTS, on premature repatriation to Northern Railway from NDMC, in respect of a criminal offence is under investigation. He was detained in police custody on 23rd May, 2021 for a period exceeding forty-eight hours,” the railway zone’s spokesperson Deepak Kumar was quoted in The Economic Times.

Kumar added, “Now, therefore Sushil Kumar JAG/ (Ad Hoc) IRTS is deemed to have been suspended with effect from the date of detention i.e. 23rd May, 2021 in terms of Rule 5 (2) of (D&A) Rules, 1968 and shall remain under suspension until further orders.”

The 38-year-old was arrested along with co-accused Ajay from the Mundka area in outer Delhi on 23 May. Senior officials cited in the concerned report say that government servants involved in grievous crimes usually have to undergo suspensions until their case is underway.