india

Updated: Aug 18, 2019 10:54 IST

Bihar’s Independent MLA Anant Singh from whose ancestral house in Mokama police seized an AK-47 assault rifle and ammunition last week, fled when cops raided his government residence to arrest him in Patna late Saturday night .

Police said an aide of the MLA was arrested when he tried to prevent entry of the raiding team into the residence.

A senior police officer said that a team of headed by superintendent of police (SP - rural) Kantesh Kumar Mishra and other officers raided the legislator’s residence at around 1 am to arrest him but he escaped shortly before the team arrived.

“The police team searched his residence but he could not be traced. We had earlier arrested his caretaker Sunil Singh in this regard,” he added.

“The police interrogated Anant Singh’s wife Veena Devi about his whereabouts,” the SP said.

He said the police seized a sword and Singh’s official cell phone from the residence during the raid. “Before raiding, the police had removed his bodyguards and sent them to the police lines,” he added.

Mishra said that when the police came to the residence of Anant Singh, the gate was opened after 15 to 20 minutes. “The man who opened the gate tried to prevent the entry of the police team. The man identified as Chotan Singh is an accused in a firing incident in Barh a few days ago. He was immediately arrested,” Mishra said.

Anant Singh, multiple-term MLA from Mokama, has been booked under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) after the seizure of an AK-47 rifle and grenade from his ancestral Ladma village in Barh sub-division in Patna district.

Police had raided Singh’s house at Mokama following a tip-off and seized an AK-47 rifle, a magazine, live cartridges and two hand grenades. A case was lodged under the various s sections of UAPA, IPC and explosives Act.

Anant 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 was hatched against him at the behest of JD (U) MP Lalan Singh.