Former MLA and Janata Dal (United) candidate from Mokama, Anant Kumar Singh, arrested in connection with the murder of Jan Suraj supporter Dularchand Yadav, has been sent to judicial custody for 14 days. This arrest, which took place late on Saturday (November 1) night, has created a stir in the political circles ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections. Anant Singh was taken into custody along with two of his associates, Manikant Thakur and Ranjit Ram. The trio were produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) of Patna on Saturday, after which Singh was sent to judicial custody for two weeks. His arrest comes after violent clashes broke out in Mokama on October 30, in which 75-year-old Dularchand Yadav, a Jan Suraj Party supporter, was killed.
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According to Patna Senior Superintendent of Police Karthikeya Sharma, police investigation revealed that the violent clash between political supporters, including stone pelting and firing, took place in the presence of Anant Singh. “On the basis of evidence, eyewitness statements and postmortem report, it has been established that the incident took place under the direct supervision of the candidate, who has been arrested as the prime accused,” Sharma told reporters. The violence broke out during the election campaign in Mokama, one of Bihar’s politically sensitive constituencies, where Singh, known for his domineering image, is contesting as the JDU candidate. A clash between rival groups resulted in serious injuries and one death. Police have registered a case against members of both the groups on charges of disturbing public order and violating the model code of conduct.
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Following the incident, two police officers – Ghoswari SHO Madhusudan Kumar and Bhadaur SHO Ravi Ranjan – were suspended for dereliction of duty. CID has also joined the investigation and raids are underway to search for other suspects linked to the case. Even after his arrest, Anant Singh released a video message on social media and expressed confidence in the support of the people of his constituency. In the video, while being under police protection, he said, “Satyamev Jayate! I have full faith in the people of Mokama. This time, only the people of Mokama will contest the elections.” Singh’s statement has further heated up the heated political atmosphere in the region, where despite several criminal cases being registered against him, his influence is still quite strong.