Anant Singh: Mokama's 'Chhote Sarkar' back in spotlight after murder arrest

Anant Kumar Singh, the Mokama strongman and JD(U) candidate, faces renewed scrutiny after his arrest in a murder case, reigniting debate on Bihar's bahubali politics

Few Bihar politicians embody the state’s enduring nexus of power, crime and charisma like Anant Kumar Singh. Known across Mokama as “Chhote Sarkar”, the 57-year-old former MLA has survived convictions, jail terms and political U-turns to remain a dominant figure in the region.

 

Singh was back in the headlines after his arrest in connection with the death of Jan Suraaj Party supporter Dular Chand Yadav. The incident, which occurred during campaigning in Mokama, led to four FIRs, one of which named Singh as an accused. According to police, Yadav died of shock caused by heart and lung injuries inflicted by a blunt object.

 

What led to Anant Singh’s arrest?

 

Anant Singh, a former Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA and now a Janata Dal (United) candidate for Mokama in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, was arrested in a late-night operation from his Barh residence. He was accused, along with four others, of involvement in Yadav’s death.

 

According to news agency PTI, officials said Anant Singh had also been booked for violating the Model Code of Conduct, as videos surfaced showing him moving in large cavalcades. His wife, Neelam Devi, currently represents Mokama as a JD(U) MLA after winning the 2022 bypoll.

 

What did Anant Singh say?

 

Before his arrest, Singh blamed his long-time rival and former gangster Suraj Bhan for “orchestrating the killing” to tarnish his image. “It must be the handiwork of Suraj Bhan. He orchestrated the killing so that I would get a bad name,” Singh claimed, asserting that he was “far away” from the scene.

 

The slain Yadav had been campaigning for Jan Suraaj candidate Piyush Priyadarshi, though the party’s founder Prashant Kishor denied any formal association. 

How did Anant Singh rise to power?

 

A Bhumihar by caste, Anant Singh’s political journey began with the JD(U) in 2005 when he first won the Mokama Assembly seat. His reputation as a local strongman and close links with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar helped him hold sway in the area. Nitish’s early outreach to Singh and his brother Dilip before the 2004 Lok Sabha elections helped consolidate the Bhumihar vote in Barh and Nalanda.

 

Since then, Singh’s loyalty has shifted between the JD(U) and the RJD, but his hold on Mokama has remained unshaken. He won as an Independent in 2015 after breaking with Nitish Kumar and again in 2020 as an RJD candidate, cementing his image as a political survivor.

 

What legal cases and controversies surround Anant Singh?

 

In August 2024, the Patna High Court acquitted Singh in two major Arms Act cases. One of them involved an INSAS rifle recovered from his Patna residence in 2015 and another in 2019 when police found an AK-47 rifle, ammunition and grenades in his ancestral village. The court ruled that the prosecution failed to conclusively prove its case, paving the way for Singh’s return to active politics.

 

According to his election affidavit, Anant Singh has 28 ongoing criminal cases against him, including charges of murder, kidnapping and criminal conspiracy. His declared movable assets amount to ₹13 crore, including luxury vehicles such as a Toyota Land Cruiser and Fortuner, and even livestock, including an elephant, a horse and cattle. His wife Neelam Devi’s assets are worth ₹62.72 crore.

 

Why is Mokama key to Bihar’s power politics?

 

Mokama, about 100 km from Patna, has long been Singh’s turf. Locals often say that while "Bihar has Nitish sarkar, but Mokama has Chhote Sarkar". His elder brother, Dilip Singh, a former state minister, was known as “Bade Sarkar”.

 

In 2022, after Anant Singh was convicted and disqualified as MLA, his wife Neelam Devi successfully contested the bypoll for RJD and retained Mokama. Following Nitish Kumar’s switch from the RJD to the BJP-led NDA, she crossed over to the JD(U).

 

Why is Anant Singh so popular on social media?

 

Anant Singh’s presence on social media mirrors his larger-than-life image in Bihar’s political scene. Clad almost always in crisp white kurta-pyjamas, dark sunglasses and a confident grin, he has become a meme and reel favourite across platforms. His off-the-cuff remarks, swaggering gait and unfiltered humour have spawned countless short clips, GIFs and parody videos that circulate widely on Instagram and WhatsApp. 

 

For his supporters, these visuals reinforce his cult status as "Chhote Sarkar”, as a man who rules Mokama with both charisma and fear. For others, they underline the uneasy blend of power and spectacle that defines Bihar’s bahubali politics.