Patna: A hasty remark appears to have turned the tide against five-time MLA and Janata Dal (United) candidate Anant Singh, who has been arrested in connection with the murder of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Dularchand Yadav. Yadav was reportedly campaigning for Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) candidate Piyush Priyadarshi in Mokama when he was killed.
Despite being named in the FIR filed by Yadav’s family, Singh’s arrest came only after the Election Commission in Delhi intervened, triggering sweeping administrative changes. Three officers — including the Patna Rural Superintendent of Police, the Returning Officer for Mokama constituency, and the Barh Sub-Divisional Magistrate — were removed from their posts, while the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) was suspended.
According to police sources and eyewitness accounts, Singh’s own words may have accelerated his downfall. Shortly after the incident, he told reporters that the killing had been orchestrated by Suraj Bhan Singh, a local strongman and former MP whose wife, Veena Devi, is contesting the election on an RJD ticket. The remarks, made in haste, placed Singh directly at the scene and contradicted his attempts to distance himself from the crime.
Singh said he had been nearby when violence broke out, claiming that 30 to 40 of his convoy’s vehicles had gone ahead, leaving around ten behind, which were allegedly attacked by Jan Suraaj Party supporters. “Dularchand Yadav was the first to raise his hand,” Singh had said — a comment now under scrutiny for potentially incriminating implications.
As opposition parties questioned his version of events, pressure mounted on law enforcement and the Election Commission to act. Patna Senior Superintendent of Police Kartikeya Sharma later confirmed that the investigation had established Singh’s presence at the scene. “The incident occurred in front of Anant Singh,” Sharma told reporters following the arrest.
Two of Singh’s close aides, Manikant Thakur and Ranjit Ram, were also detained and are expected to be taken on remand for further questioning.
