Published 17:08 IST, August 23rd 2019
Anant Singh, the AK-47 MLA, surrenders in Delhi, visuals here
Independent MLA Anant Singh surrendered in the Saket court on Friday after he went on the run when police reached to arrest him in his Patna residence.
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Independent MLA Anant Singh surrendered in the Saket court on Friday after he went on the run when police reached to arrest him in his Patna residence after recovering an AK-47 rifle, 22 live cartridges, and two bombs from his Mokama house on Friday, last week. Anant Singh had released a video in which he claimed that political forces were working to conspire against him in the missing AK-47 rifle case and that he would be directly surrendering at the court instead of surrendering to the police. Visuals of Anant Singh surrendering to the Delhi cops emerged and the leader is seen being escorted in a police jeep with officials around him.
What led to Anant Singh's arrest?
Police had raided the house of Anant Singh, a multiple-term MLA from Mokama at Ladma village in Barh sub-division in Bihar following a tip-off and seized an AK-47 rifle, a magazine, live cartridges, and two hand grenades. Parliament has recently passed an amendment to Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) to give powers to the Centre to designate an individual as a terrorist and seize his properties. Barh sub-divisional police officer Lipi Singh said, "We are moving ahead as per law and senior's instructions. We are completing paperwork and will submit before the court all the evidence along with an FIR to pray for issuance of warrant against him (MLA)."
Singh, nicknamed 'Chhote Sarkaar', has a long criminal record and was recently summoned to the police headquarters in Patna for giving his voice sample in connection with a bid on the life of a Mokama-based contractor. The MLA had reacted angrily to the raid at his ancestral house and alleged that a conspiracy has been hatched against him at the behest of JD(U) MP Lalan Singh. "Weapons not belonging to me are being shown as having been recovered from my house. The house has also been badly vandalised during the raid," he said.
Who is Anant Singh?
Singh was formerly known to be close to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar but fell out with him ahead of the 2015 assembly elections. It led to his exit from the JD(U) and retaining Mokama seat as an independent. Thereafter, Anant Singh, known for his strong-arm tactics, has been accusing JD(U) leaders of conspiring against him to get him framed in criminal cases. Anant Singh had made his political debut in 2005 on a JD(U) ticket when he wrested Mokama from another gangster-turned-politician Suraj Bhan Singh. The seat was earlier held by Anant Singh's elder brother Dilip Singh, who had served as a minister in the Rabri Devi government.
16:37 IST, August 23rd 2019