Patna: JD(U) candidate and Mokama strongman Anant Singh has been sent to 14-day judicial custody in connection with the murder of Dularchand Yadav, a political activist from Mokama. The ACJM court in Patna issued the order on Sunday evening after Anant Singh was produced before it amid heavy police security.
The development came after an intense 16-hour interrogation of Anant Singh inside Patna’s extortion cell, following his dramatic midnight arrest from Kargil Market in Barh. The operation, led by SSP Kartikeya Sharma, involved over 150 police personnel and marked a major action in the politically sensitive case that has stirred Bihar’s election scene.
The Arrest and Interrogation
According to officials, Anant Singh was arrested around 10:55 pm on Saturday, nearly 60 hours after Dularchand Yadav’s killing. A large police contingent surrounded his Kargil Market residence before he was taken into custody and brought to Patna under tight security.
Once in the capital, Singh was questioned through the night in the extortion cell. Sources said he did not sleep for over 16 hours and was repeatedly asked about his role in the fatal clash in Mokama.
During interrogation, SSP Kartikeya Sharma and senior officers questioned him about his presence at the crime scene and the sequence of events leading up to the shooting. Singh denied involvement, claiming his vehicle was ahead of the convoy and that he had no knowledge of who fired the fatal shot.
Police: “Did you kill Dularchand Yadav?”
Anant Singh: “My car was ahead, I don’t know who killed him.”
He admitted knowing Dularchand, saying the deceased had recently been associated with Jan Suraj and was earlier with Lalu Prasad Yadav’s RJD, but denied any personal enmity.
When questioned about the large convoy he was traveling with, Singh said, “Mokama is our area. People keep joining us. How can we stop them? That’s why the number of vehicles increased.”
He further denied that the attack had any electoral motive, insisting, “My election is going well. We have no competition.”
Police Version
Addressing a late-night press conference, Patna SSP Kartikeya Sharma confirmed that Anant Singh, along with his associates Manikant Thakur and Ranjeet Ram, had been arrested in connection with the case. “Anant Singh was present when Dularchand Yadav was murdered,” Sharma said.
Patna DM Dr. Tyagarajan S.M. added that the administration had taken the incident “very seriously” and reiterated that any attempt to disrupt law and order during the elections would not be tolerated.
Sequence of Events
- Saturday, 10:55 pm: Police raid Anant Singh’s residence in Barh.
- 11:45 pm: Anant Singh taken into custody and transported to Patna.
- 2:00 am Sunday: Patna DM and SSP hold a press conference confirming the arrest.
- 3:00 pm: Anant Singh produced before the CJM court.
- 4:00 pm: Court orders 14-day judicial custody.
- 4:20 pm: Singh transferred to Beur Central Jail.
Weapon Not Yet Recovered
Bihar DGP Vinay Kumar said, “Dularchand Yadav’s death is confirmed. Supporters of both candidates clashed, and stones were thrown. More than 80 people have been arrested so far. The murder weapon has not yet been recovered, and efforts are ongoing to trace it. Once found, it will undergo forensic examination.”
The Mokama Murder Case
The incident that led to Dularchand Yadav’s death occurred amid heightened political tensions in Mokama, where supporters of rival candidates reportedly engaged in violent clashes. Police sources said the confrontation involved multiple vehicles and firearms, resulting in chaos at the scene.
As investigations continue, the focus remains on establishing who fired the fatal shot and whether it was linked to political rivalry during the election campaign.
With Anant Singh now lodged in Beur Jail and police widening the probe, the Dularchand Yadav murder case has emerged as one of the most high-profile election-time investigations in Bihar this year.
