PATNA: Janata Dal (United) candidate and former MLA Anant Singh was arrested by the Patna police late on Saturday night for his alleged involvement in the murder of Dularchand Yadav, a supporter of the Jan Suraj Party, during an election campaign in the Mokama Assembly constituency on October 30.
Patna District Magistrate Thiyagarajan S.M. and Senior Superintendent of Police Kartikey Sharma confirmed Singh’s arrest from his residence at Barh in Patna district.
SSP Sharma said that Singh’s two associates, Manikant Thakur and Ranjit Ram were also taken into custody in connection with the case. “All three, including Anant Singh, were present at the site of the incident. Action was taken against them on the basis of eyewitness accounts and preliminary investigation. They will be produced before the court today,” the SSP said. No firearms were seized during the operation, he added.
According to sources, a police team comprising around 150 personnel reached Singh’s residence near Kargil Chowk at Barh around 1.30 am and took him into custody. His associates Thakur and Ram, both residents of Bedhna village, were also arrested.
The police acted after receiving information that Singh was canvassing for votes in the area, two days after the murder of 75-year-old Dularchand Yadav near Tartar village, located on the border of Bhadaur and Ghoshwari police stations.
Patna DM Thiyagarajan said the district administration had taken the incident very seriously. “We will enforce the Election Commission’s Model Code of Conduct very strictly in the area. Nobody will be spared. Instructions have been issued to deposit all licensed firearms to ensure free, fair, and peaceful elections,” he told reporters.
Altogether, four FIRs have been registered in connection with the incident. Anant Singh has been named an accused in an FIR lodged by the deceased’s grandson, Neeraj Kumar. Another case has been filed in connection with an alleged attack on the convoy of the JD(U) candidate.
Meanwhile, taking a serious view of the incident, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday ordered the transfer of Patna Superintendent of Police (Rural) Vikram Sihag and initiated disciplinary action against three other officials.
The ECI, which had sought a report on the incident from Bihar DGP Vinay Kumar on Friday, also directed the replacement of Mokama Sub-Divisional Officer-cum-Returning Officer Chandan Kumar, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (Barh-I) Rakesh Kumar, and Sub-Divisional Police Officer (Barh-II) Abhishek Singh. Disciplinary proceedings were initiated against all three, with Abhishek Singh placed under suspension with immediate effect.
