Anant Kumar Singh, a candidate for the Bihar Assembly elections representing Mokama, was apprehended late Saturday night. His arrest is linked to the murder of Dularchand Yadav, a supporter of the Jan Suraaj party. Singh, fielded by the Janata Dal (United) from his traditional stronghold of Mokama, is a significant figure in Bihar’s political landscape.
Mokama, which votes in the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections on November 6, is known for its strong influence of ‘bahubalis’ (politically influential figures with criminal backgrounds), and this election is set to be a closely contested battle in the region.
**Anant Singh: A Controversial Political Career**
Anant Singh has been a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Mokama for two decades, first entering in 2005. He secured re-election in 2010 and again in 2015 as an Independent after leaving the JD(U). Prior to the 2020 Bihar elections, he joined the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and was victorious once more. However, his political career took a turn in 2022 when he was convicted in an arms case, leading to the loss of his seat. His wife, Neelam Devi, subsequently won the bye-election and currently holds the Mokama constituency. Singh is now contesting the seat again on a JD(U) ticket.
According to his nomination papers for the upcoming polls, Singh has 28 pending cases against him, including charges related to murder, criminal conspiracy, torture, kidnapping, and assault. His declared movable assets are valued at ₹13 crore.
**The Dularchand Yadav Murder Case**
Dularchand Yadav was fatally shot on October 30 amidst clashes between two groups during election campaigning in Mokama. The incident also involved stone-pelting, resulting in injuries to supporters of rival factions. Following the incident, Singh, along with two others, Manikant Thakur and Ranjeet Ram, were arrested. Patna SSP Kartikeya Sharma stated that the events transpired in Singh’s presence and identified him as the main accused in the case.