Patna: Controversial former Bihar MLA Anant Singh, who seeks to reclaim Mokama seat on a ticket of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s JD(U), was arrested in a late-night operation on Saturday in connection with the murder of Jan Suraaj supporter Dular Chand Yadav, officials said.
Singh, who has been under the scanner since the killing of Yadav, who recently clashed with his sympathizers, was picked up from his house in Barh, about 200 km from the state capital.
Police also arrested two other persons, Manikant Thakur and Ranjeet Ram, who were also present when the incident took place.
According to the reports, Anant Kumar Singh was arrested and taken to Patna.
Jan Suraaj’s Mokama candidate, Piyush Priyadarshi, also Dularchand Yadav’s nephew, spoke with ANI after the arrest of his opponent from JD(U) and said Anant Singh should have been arrested sooner.
Piyush Priyadarshi said, “This is a good gesture, but it would have been good had they taken action sooner. Today, he was moving around in a convoy of 50 vehicles and even participated in election campaigning.”
“When an FIR was registered against him, he should have been arrested sooner… But better late than never. What is important now is how the police investigate the whole case… It is a relief for his family [Dularchand’s].”
Earlier on Saturday, November 1, the Election Commission ordered the transfer of Patna Superintendent of Police (Rural) and action against three other officials, in connection with the Mokama firing case in which gangster-turned-politician Dularchand Yadav was killed.
“The Commission has further directed that Vikram Sihag, Superintendent of Police (Rural), Patna, may also be transferred. Hence, a panel of officers for posting a substitute in his place may be sent urgently,” the poll authority told the state chief electoral officer.
It directed the appointment of new officials to replace the sub-divisional officer of Barh, who also serves as the returning officer for the Mokama assembly seat, along with the Barh-1 and Barh-2 sub-divisional police officers.
Abhishek Singh, the sub-divisional police officer of Barh-2, has also been placed under suspension.
Dularchand Yadav was shot on Thursday, October 30, following a clash between two political party members during election campaigning in Bihar’s Mokama area, police said.
The two groups crossed paths and an altercation ensued in which a shot wad fired.
“Police received information that the convoys of two parties were crossing each other when one party fired at the other over some issue and also tried to run them over. FIR will be registered, and further action will be taken. FSL has been informed. Proper investigation will be done here and further action will be taken,” Abhishek Singh, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Barh-2, said.
