Glasierwellness at 06:17, 6 February 2026

2026-02-06T06:17:38Z

New page

{{short description|Indian politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Anant Kumar Singh
| image = Anantsingh (cropped).jpg
| caption = Anant Singh in a public meeting in [[Mokama]]
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1961|01|05|df=y}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Candidate Details - Anant Kumar Singh |url=https://affidavit.eci.gov.in/show-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 |website=[[Election COmmission of India]] |access-date=12 November 2025}}</ref>
| birth_place = [[Nadwan, Bihar]], India
| death_date =
| death_place =
| constituency = [[Mokama (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Mokama]]
| office = [[Member of Legislative Assembly (India)|Member of]] [[Bihar Legislative Assembly]]
| term_start = 14 November 2025
| term_end =
| predecessor = [[Nilam Devi]]
| successor =
| party = Janata Dal (United)
| otherparty = [[Janata Dal (United)]],<ref>{{cite news |title=Bihar MLA Anant Kumar Singh, charged under Arms Act, flees from residence post police raid |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2019/aug/18/bihar-mla-anant-kumar-singh-charged-under-arms-act-flees-from-residence-post-police-raid-2020605.html |access-date=25 August 2020 |work=The New Indian Express |date=18 August 2019}}</ref>
[[Rashtriya Janata Dal]]<ref name="HuffRJD"/><ref>{{cite news |last1=Mukul |first1=Sushim |date=6 May 2024 |title=A parole makes Munger Lok Sabha election a fight of bahubalis |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/elections/lok-sabha/story/anant-singh-mokama-jdu-parole-munger-lok-sabha-election-bahubalis-ashok-mahto-anita-mahto-bihar-2535763-2024-05-06 |work=India Today |access-date=6 May 2024}}</ref>
| spouse = [[Nilam Devi]]
| children =
| residence = [[Mokama]], [[Bihar]], India
| nickname = Chhote Sarkar {{small|({{Translation|Junior Government|literal=Junior Government}})}}<ref name="Upadhyaya"/>
| website =
| footnotes =
| date =
| year =
| source =
| relations = [[Dilip Singh]] (elder brother)
| termstart1 = 14 February 2005
| termend1 = 12 April 2022
| preceding1 =
| succeeding1 =
| succeeded1 = [[Nilam Devi]]
| preceded1 = [[Surajbhan Singh]]
| constituency1 = [[Mokama]]
| birth_name =
| citizenship =
}}

'''Anant Kumar Singh''', also known as '''Chhote Sarkar''', is an Indian politician who has served, and is currently serving, as MLA from [[Mokama (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Mokama Assembly Constituency]] in the [[Bihar Legislative Assembly]].<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Sinha |first=Chinki |date=24 March 2014 |url=http://www.openthemagazine.com/article/nation/the-don-of-mokama |title=The Don of Mokama |magazine=[[Open (Indian magazine)|Open]] |access-date=29 May 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Srivastava |first1=Amitabh |title=Dreaded JD-U MLA, Anant Singh bites dust in Bihar, vacates enchroached area in Patna's posh colony |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/east/story/dreaded-jd-u-mla-anant-singh-vacates-encroachment-in-patliputra-colony-in-patna-154152-2013-02-15 |access-date=7 January 2021 |work=India Today |date=15 February 2013 |language=en}}</ref> In 2020, he left the [[Janata Dal (United)]] party after nearly 15 years to join the [[Rashtriya Janata Dal]], but later rejoined the Janata Dal (United) in 2025 to contest [[Mokama (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Mokama]] in the [[2025 Bihar Legislative Assembly election|most recent state election]].<ref name="HuffRJD"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ibnlive.com/news/politics/bihar-police-raids-jdu-strongman-anant-singhs-residence-recovers-illegal-weapons-1011257.html|title=CNN-News18 Breaking News India, Latest News Headlines, Live News Updates|website=News1.com8|access-date=29 May 2018}}</ref> According to his election affidavit of 2020, he is facing 38 criminal charges including 7 [[murder]]s, 11 [[Attempted murder|attempt-to-murder]] and 4 cases of [[kidnapping]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Sahay|first=Anand Mohan|date=8 January 2008|url=https://www.rediff.com/news/2008/jan/08crime.htm|title=Murder case against Bihar MLA Anant Singh|work=Rediff.com|access-date=29 May 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Prasad|first=Kashi|date=18 April 2014|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/Anant-Kumar-Singh-Surajbhan-Singh-detained/articleshow/33874430.cms|title=Anant Kumar Singh, Surajbhan Singh detained |newspaper=[[Times of India]]|access-date=29 May 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dailyo.in/politics/why-bihar-government-wants-this-dabangg-officer-gone/story/1/1179.html|title=Why Bihar government wants this dabangg officer gone|website=Dailyo.in|access-date=29 May 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Anant Kumar Singh(RJD):Constituency- MOKAMA(PATNA) - Affidavit Information of Candidate |url=https://myneta.info/Bihar2020/candidate.php?candidate_id=9683 |website=myneta.info |access-date=11 November 2020}}</ref>

==Life and career==
Anant Singh was born in the village of [[Nadwan, Patna|Nadawan]] falling under [[Barh]] CD block, [[Bihar]] to Chandradeep Singh.<ref name="MyNeta">{{cite web |title=Anant Kumar Singh(RJD):Constituency- MOKAMA(PATNA) - Affidavit Information of Candidate |url=https://myneta.info/Bihar2020/candidate.php?candidate_id=9683 |website=myneta.info |access-date=18 February 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=5 May 2024 |title=Bihar: Gangster-turned-politician Anant Singh released on parole days before polling in Mokama |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/bihar-gangster-politician-anant-singh-released-polling-mokama-9309677/ |access-date=17 June 2024 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref> His elder brother [[Dilip Singh]], also a politician, became MLA & Minister from [[Mokama (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Mokama]] in 1990 and 1995 as a member of [[Janata Dal]], but lost to another gangster turned politician, [[Surajbhan Singh]] in the assembly elections of year 2000 on RJD ticket. In 2003, [[Dilip Singh]] became MLC from Patna local authorities as an independent candidate. He was one of the [[Bhumihar]] leaders who became MLC from local bodies with [[Kapildev Prasad Singh|Kapildev Singh]] in 2003.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kumar |first=Mayank |date=9 May 2024 |title=52 criminal cases & love of horses — who's Bihar ex-MLA Anant Singh, out campaigning on 15-day parole |url=https://theprint.in/politics/52-criminal-cases-love-of-horses-whos-bihar-ex-mla-anant-singh-out-campaigning-on-15-day-parole/2075836/ |work=ThePrint |access-date=13 May 2024}}</ref>
[[File:Dilip singh.jpg|alt=Anant Singh with elder brother Dilip Singh|left|thumb|MLA Anant Singh (white shirt on right) with elder brother MLC Dilip Singh (left)]]
Anant Singh contested and won from the Mokama assembly seat in 2005 on a JDU ticket. He retained the seat in 2010, defeating Sonam Devi of [[Lok Janshakti Party]] (LJP) by a large margin.<ref>{{Cite web|title=IndiaVotes AC Summary: Mokama 2010|url=http://www.indiavotes.com/ac/summary/31581|access-date=5 September 2021|website=IndiaVotes}}</ref> He is married to [[Nilam Devi]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Kumar|first=Abhay|date= 25 September 2015|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/content/502722/don-anant-singh-still-favourite.html|title=Don Anant Singh is still a favourite|work=Deccan Herald|access-date=29 May 2018}}</ref>

On 2 September 2015, Singh quit the JDU following a fall-out with leader [[Nitish Kumar]] over the JDU's new alliance with the RJD, but was able to retain his seat as an Independent.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/politics/controversial-jdu-mla-quits-party/|title=Controversial JD(U) MLA quits party|date=3 September 2015|work=Indian Express|access-date=29 May 2018}}</ref>

On 16 August 2019, Singh was booked under the [[Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act]] after the police took possession of an [[AK-47]] rifle, a magazine, live cartridges and two hand grenades following a raid on his ancestral home in Ladma village of [[Patna district]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=PTI |title=Bihar MLA booked under UAPA absconding: Police |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/bihar-mla-booked-under-uapa-absconding-police/articleshow/70727202.cms |access-date=24 August 2019 |work=The Times of India |date=18 August 2019 |language=en}}</ref>

In 2020, Singh was given a ticket from [[Rashtriya Janata Dal]] to contest the upcoming [[2020 Bihar Legislative Assembly election|Bihar legislative election]].<ref name="HuffRJD">{{cite news |title=RJD Gives Bihar Election Ticket To Don Anant Singh, Who Lalu Prasad Once Got Arrested For Murder |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/rjd-gives-bihar-election-ticket-to-don-anant-singh-who-lalu-prasad-once-got-arrested-for-murder_in_5f7da766c5b60c6bcc64d4be |access-date=8 October 2020 |work=HuffPost India |date=7 October 2020 |language=en}}</ref> He won from the [[Mokama (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Mokama constituency]] with 35,291 votes, winning the seat for the fourth consecutive time.<ref>{{cite news |title=Mokama Election Result 2020 Live Updates: Anant Singh of RJD WINS |url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/mokama-election-result-2020-live-updates-mokama-winner-loser-leading-trailing-mla-margin-3061241.html |access-date=10 November 2020 |work=News18 |date=10 November 2020 |language=en}}</ref>

Even after JDU left [[Mahagathbandhan (Bihar)|mahagathbandhan]] in 2017, Nitish Kumar continued to have a tough stance on Anant Singh, especially after he fielded his wife [[Nilam Devi]] as [[Indian National Congress|Congress]] candidate in [[2019 Indian general election in Bihar|2019 lok sabha elections]] from [[Munger Lok Sabha constituency|Munger]] against JDU's [[Lalan Singh|Lallan Singh]].

He contested the 2020 Vidhansabha elections from Mokama on RJD ticket and won from jail. However he was disqualified in 2022 due to a case for illegal possession of weapons. His wife Nilam Devi won the by elections from Mokama on RJD Ticket.

However, she switched sides to JDU when it left Mahagathbandhan again in 2024. Anant Singh was released on parole for 15 days during the [[2024 Indian general election in Bihar|2024 lok sabha election]] and was campaigning in Munger for JDU's Lallan Singh.

On 14 August 2024 [[Patna High Court]] acquitted Anant Singh in case of illegal arms act for which he was serving 10 years sentence from 2022.

==Criminal cases and influence==
Singh has numerous cases of murder, kidnapping, and [[land grabbing]] lodged against him. The Barh region has remained notorious for [[Caste-related violence in India|caste wars]] particularly between two [[Forward Caste]]s of Bihar, the [[Bhumihar]]s and [[Rajput]]s. In these wars he emerged as a saviour of his community. According to locals, people in this region refrain from going outside during night due to fear of being kidnapped or murdered. The fortune of Singh turned when [[Nitish Kumar]], decided to nominate him as his candidate on the ticket of [[Janata Dal (United)]] from the Mokama constituency. It was considered as paradoxical by a section of media that Kumar who vowed to end 'criminalisation of politics' was backing such a person against whom charges of serious cognisable offences were lodged. But, amidst criticism and counter statements Singh managed to win from Mokama seat due to support of his castemen as well as the wave of Nitish Kumar. Singh has been three times [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|MLA]] from Mokama.<ref name="Rajsingh">{{cite news |last=Rajsingh |first=Amit |date=28 January 2015 |url=https://thewire.in/politics/how-changing-equations-may-finally-put-a-stop-to-this-criminal-politicians-career |title=How Changing Equations May Finally Put a Stop to This Criminal Politician's Career |work=The Wire |access-date=21 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200722132105/https://thewire.in/politics/how-changing-equations-may-finally-put-a-stop-to-this-criminal-politicians-career |archive-date=22 July 2020}}</ref>

Singh's activities dragged the country's attention when in 2007 he was reported to have two journalists from [[NDTV 24x7]] and [[ANI News]] as hostages in his official bungalow. It was reported that they had been there to interview Singh upon his involvement in murder and molestation of a woman called Reshma Khatoon whose body was recovered in a sack near the capital. The political protection given to Singh and another gangster named [[Sunil Pandey]] by the ruling government was aimed at mobilisation of the Bhumihar caste. According to the locals, Singh who was known as ''Chhote Sarkar'' ({{Translation|Junior Government|literal=Junior Government}}) in Mokama is a role model of Bhumihars, who have consistently opposed [[Laloo Yadav|Lalu Yadav]]'s government. Thus, political parties opposing Yadav used him as a tool to mobilise Bhumihar voters.<ref name="Upadhyaya">{{cite web|url=https://www.dailyo.in/politics/nitish-kumar-bihar-assembly-polls-2015-anant-singh-sunil-pandey-jdu-caste-bhumihar-yadav/story/1/5010.html|title=How Nitish Kumar plays the caste card when it suits him|website=Dailyo.in|first=Ashok|last=Upadhyay|access-date=21 July 2020}}</ref>

Singh was also allegedly involved in kidnapping of four youths, who as per allegations were responsible for [[Eve teasing|eve-teasing]] of a girl, latter being sister of one of Singh's men. As per news reports, the four youths were kidnapped and [[Physical assault|assaulted]] allegedly by the [[Goonda|goons]] of Singh and one of them named Puttus Yadav was killed brutally.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Parashar |first1=Sachin |date=24 September 2015 |title=A murder exposes Bihar's caste faultlines |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/A-murder-exposes-Bihars-caste-faultlines/articleshow/49083830.cms?from=mdr|work=The Times of India |access-date=11 January 2021 }}</ref>

===Arrest===
Singh was arrested in 2015, in connection with a kidnapping case of four men from [[Barh]] and the subsequent murder of one.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=JD-U MLA Anant Singh arrested in kidnapping, murder |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/anant-singh-jdu-mla-detain-kidnapping-murder-case-259445-2015-06-24 |magazine=India Today |agency=IANS |date=24 June 2015 |access-date=28 September 2025}}</ref> The ensuing arrest also resulted in a scuffle between Singh and the [[Superintendent of police (India)|city SP]] of Patna [[Chandan Kushwaha]] while the former was being taken to [[Patna Secretariat|Secretariat]] police station in Patna.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.livehindustan.com/news/bihar/article1-story-484419.html |work=livehindustan.com |title=गिरफ्तारी के बाद थाने में जदयू विधायक अनंत सिंह व सिटी एसपी भिड़े |date=24 June 2015 |access-date=8 July 2023 |archive-date=8 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230708190441/https://www.livehindustan.com/news/bihar/article1-story-484419.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Dilip Singh]]
* [[Lalan Singh]]
* [[Giriraj Singh]]
* [[Vijay Kumar Sinha]]
* [[C. P. Thakur]]
* [[Vivek Thakur]]
* [[Surajbhan Singh]]
* [[Kapildev Prasad Singh]]
* [[Aruna Devi]]
* [[Anil Singh (politician)]]

== Electoral history ==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! [[Mahagathbandhan (Bihar)|#]] !! From !! To !! Position !! Party
|-
| 1. || 2005 || 2005 || [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|MLA]] (1st term) from [[Mokama Assembly constituency|Mokama]] || [[Janata Dal (United)|JD(U)]]
|-
| 2. || 2005 || 2010 || [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|MLA]] (2nd term) from [[Mokama Assembly constituency|Mokama]] || [[Janata Dal (United)|JD(U)]]
|-
| 3. || 2010 || 2015 || [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|MLA]] (3rd term) from [[Mokama Assembly constituency|Mokama]] || [[Janata Dal (United)|JD(U)]]
|-
| 4. || 2015 || 2020 || [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|MLA]] (4th te[[Lalan Singh|rm) from Mokama]] || [[Independent politician|IND]]
|-
| 5. || 2020 || 2022 || [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|MLA]] (5th term) from [[Mokama Assembly constituency|Mokama]] || [[Rashtriya Janata Dal|RJD]]
|-
| 6. || 2025 || || [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|MLA]] (6th term) from [[Mokama Assembly constituency|Mokama]] || [[Janata Dal (United)|JD(U)]]
|}

Note: He was disqualified in July 2022 due to conviction<ref>{{cite web |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/bihar-convicted-rjd-mla-anant-kumar-singh-disqualified-from-assembly/articleshow/92910146.cms |title=Convicted RJD MLA Anant Kumar Singh disqualified from Bihar Legislative Assembly |work=The Times of India |date=16 July 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/patna-news/bihar-politician-anant-singh-loses-assembly-membership-not-the-1st-on-that-list-101657878732391.html |title=Bihar politician Anant Singh loses assembly membership, not the 1st on that list |work=The Hindustan Times |date=15 July 2022 }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Anant}}
[[Category:1960s births]]
[[Category:Bihar MLAs 2005–2010]]
[[Category:Bihar MLAs 2010–2015]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Janata Dal (United) politicians]]
[[Category:Crime in Bihar]]
[[Category:Indian prisoners and detainees]]
[[Category:People from Patna district]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Rashtriya Janata Dal politicians]]
[[Category:Bihar MLAs 2020–2025]]
[[Category:Indian politicians convicted of crimes]]
[[Category:Bihar MLAs 2015–2020]]
[[Category:Bihar MLAs 2025–2030]]

Anant Kumar Singh - Revision history

Glasierwellness at 06:17, 6 February 2026