In the infamous Mokama gang war case, former MLA Anant Singh has surrendered. Marching with his entourage, he arrived at the Patna’s Barh Court, where he was remanded to 14 days of judicial custody in Beur Jail. Anant Singh's surrender followed Sonu Singh's, placing mounting pressure on him. The opposition relentlessly criticized the Nitish government, eventually compelling Anant Singh to face the court.
Patna SSP Avkash Kumar stated, "Former MLA Anant Singh has surrendered in court and has been sent to Beur Jail." He revealed that police registered three cases regarding this gang war. The previous Wednesday evening, an attack on Anant Singh's convoy occurred in Mokama. The Sonu-Monu gang launched a fierce shooting spree, prompting a retaliatory response from Anant's supporters.
Eyewitnesses claimed that between 60 to 70 rounds were fired during this gang war, although the police reported only 16-17 rounds. A subsequent shooting incident occurred in Hamza village on Friday, in the Panchmahal precinct of Mokama. Police recovered three cartridges from the scene, the site being in front of Mukesh Singh's house, who had sought help from Anant Singh.
Who is Mukesh Singh, and why did a dispute arise with Sonu-Anant?
Residing in Jamalpur Naoranga Panchayat's Naoranga village in Mokama, Sonu-Monu’s mother Urmila Sinha serves as the chief. They also run a brick kiln business. Mukesh Singh, once employed as a clerk, was embroiled in a financial dispute involving 6 million rupees. Four days prior, Sonu-Monu had locked Mukesh's house, prompting his complaint to the police station.
At the station, Mukesh's grievances remained unheard, leading him to escalate to the SSP office, but without receiving any assurance of action. Consequently, he approached Anant Singh, who dialed Sonu-Monu, but the discussion escalated into a heated argument. Anant Singh then proceeded with his supporters to Hamza village, personally unlocking Mukesh's house, and continued toward Sonu-Monu’s village, Naoranga.
Source: aajtak
Gunfire erupted upon Anant’s arrival in Sonu-Monu's village
As soon as Anant Singh reached Naoranga, gunfire ensued from both sides. Anant Singh reported, “We halted our vehicle right outside the Sonu-Monu's home, dispatching two supporters to summon them. However, shots rang out as soon as they approached, compelling our people to return fire. It was then we decided to evacuate the area.”
In Bihar's political landscape, Anant Singh is a significant figure, often referred to as the 'Chhote Sarkar.' His influence in Mokama is formidable, a factor contributing to his wife’s electoral victory under RJD’s banner. Anant Singh himself has served as an MLA from Mokama four times. Conversely, the Sonu-Monu family maintains political connections, although they receive minimal attention from Anant Singh.
Who are Sonu-Monu, and what triggered the Anant Singh feud?
Sonu-Monu, notorious criminals from Mokama, face multiple charges, including murder, abduction, robbery, extortion, and train heists. Despite lacking a direct rivalry, they both operated for a considerable time under Viveka Pahalwan, Anant Singh's uncle. A long-standing enmity has brewed between the two factions.
Source: aajtak
The complex political alliances in Bihar’s ever-switching landscape
Navigating the treacherous political waters in Bihar proves challenging, even for powerhouses like Bahubali. In 2022, after losing his legislative seat over the AK-47 case, Anant Singh’s wife, Neelam Singh, won the by-elections under the RJD banner. However, when Nitish Kumar re-allied with the BJP in February 2024, Neelam switched allegiance to JDU.
In 2024, the High Court acquitted Anant Singh of the AK-47 charges, renewing his bid for the Mokama legislative seat. In 2005, he initially won under the JD(U) ticket. Facing dissatisfaction when Nitish allied with RJD in 2015, Anant protested, leading to friction with Nitish.
The saga of Nitish Kumar-Anant Singh’s friendship-turned-rivalry
Nonetheless, Anant Singh emerged successfully in the subsequent elections as an independent candidate. By 2017, as Nitish Kumar abandoned the grand alliance, his stance towards Anant Singh remained stern. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Neelam Devi, Anant's wife, received a Congress ticket against Lalan Singh, displeasing Nitish, resulting in historic files being reopened against Anant Singh.
On August 16, 2019, charges were filed under the UAPA against Anant Singh regarding possession of an AK-47. Despite imprisonment, Anant Singh claimed an RJD assembly victory in 2020. He then realized aligning with power was advantageous, explaining why Neelam backed JDU, even as an RJD legislator, in February 2024.
