JD(U)'s Mokama Candidate Anant Singh Arrested In Murder Of Jan Suraaj Worker Dularchand Yadav Ahead Of Bihar Polls

Patna: Police arrested JD (U) candidate from Mokama, Anant Kumar Singh late on Saturday night in connection with the murder of gangster-turned-politician Dular Chand Yadav, who is supporting Jan Suraaj Party candidate, from the seat.

Police also arrested two of his associates, Manikant Thakur and Ranjeet Ram. All three are expected to be produced before a judicial magistrate and likely to be remanded to judicial custody. Police are expected to take them on remand after the election process is over, sources added.

SSP Sharma told the media that Singh was found to be the main accused in the murder case during the investigation, following which he was arrested from his residence. 

“On 30 October, there was a clash between two groups of competing candidates. Stones were pelted resulting in injuries. A dead body was recovered after the incident… Based on evidence, eyewitness accounts, and the postmortem report, it appears that the Model Code of Conduct was violated, and it is a serious issue," the police officer said.

"It was found that all this happened in the presence of the candidate, Anant Singh, who is also the main accused in the case. Anant Singh has been arrested. His accomplices, Manikant Thakur and Ranjeet Ram, have also been arrested with him… All three will be presented before the magistrate, and due investigation will follow,” he added.

Raids are being conducted to arrest more suspects in the case as the Crime Investigation Department (CID) has also been involved in the probe.

Jan Suraaj Party’s candidate from Mokama, Piyush Priyadarshi, expressed hope that justice would prevail, adding that authorities should have acted sooner.

“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,” Priyadarshi stated in a conversation with ANI.

The Election Commission (EC) on Saturday ordered the transfer of Patna Superintendent of Police (Rural) Vikram Sihag and action against three other officials.

The EC had sought a report on the incident from the Bihar Director General of Police on Friday. In its instructions to the state chief electoral officer on Saturday, the EC ordered Sihag’s transfer and directed that a panel of officers to select his substitute be sent urgently.

It also ordered the replacement of Mokama sub-divisional officer-cum-returning officer Chandan Kumar, sub-divisional police officer (Barh-1) Rakesh Kumar, and SDPO (Barh-2) Abhishek Singh. The EC directed disciplinary proceedings against all three, and suspended Singh with immediate effect

The EC asked the CEO to submit a compliance report on its instructions by 12 noon on Sunday.