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Police to issue lookout notice for absconding Bihar MLA Anant SinghBy Hindustan Times

Police could soon issue a Look out Circular (LOC) for Mokama legislator Anant Singh, who is evading arrest in a case under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, ADG (headquarters) Jitendra Kumar said on Monday.

"Preparations have started to get LOC issued. Police will act on the basis of evidence and there is no question of acting with any vendetta," Kumar said. He added that a special investigation team (SIT) had been constituted for the arrest of the absconding Independent MLA .

Singh was booked under UAPA after a police team recovered an AK-47 rifle and two hand grenades during a raid from his ancestral residence at Ladma village under Barah sub-division on Friday.

Police suspect that MLA is 'hiding' in national capital region and might flee the country. They have approached the immigration authorities to alert all the airports and detain him if he tries to leave the country.

Rural SP Kantesh Mishra said that raids had been conducted to arrest the MLA at his official residence (1 Mall Road) late on Saturday night, but he was not found there. His accomplice Chhotan Singh was, however, apprehended from the residence during the raid, said Mishra, adding that a sword and a mobile phone were also seized from the legislator's official residence.

Mishra said that a separate FIR was being lodged with Sachivalaya police station in Patna against the MLA for giving shelter to Chhotan Singh, an accused in a murderous attack on a muscleman, Viveka Pahalwan.

Meanwhile, the MLA released a video, claiming that he was not absconding. "I was visiting an ailing friend. I am not afraid of getting arrested. I will first go to my flat and interact with journalists before surrendering,' the legislator said in the video clip sent to media houses.He said he would surrender in court in the next three-four days.

In the video released late Sunday night, Singh alleged that he was being framed by Barh ASP Lipi Singh.

Speaking about the charges filed against him, Singh claimed that he had never been to the house in the last 14 years from where the police recovered AK-47.

'I have never gone to that house in the last 14 years so there is no question of me keeping and AK-47 there,' he said. The accused legislator claimed that he had sought time with chief minister Nitish Kumar, but failed to get an appointment.

Singh said, 'Why would I keep weapons like AK-47 in a house which is shared by my enemy?' He, however, did not disclose who he was referring to as his enemy. He also questioned the police for allegedly not informing his family or journalists before conducting raids.

Talking about the arrest Chhotan Singh, the lawmaker said that he was a relative and hence was staying at his residence in Patna. Singh further said that both Chhotan and he were accused in the case. "How is it possible that the police freed me in the case and kept him as accused?" asked Singh in the video.

Singh, popularly known as 'Chhote Sarkaar', has a lengthy criminal record and was recently summoned to the police headquarters for giving his voice sample in connection with an attack on a Mokama-based contractor.

He was earlier known to have shared a close relationship with Bihar chief Minister but Singh left JD(U) ahead of the 2015 assembly elections over some differences. He contested the assembly election and retained his seat as an Independent.