Will surrender in court in next 3-4 days: MLA Anant Singh
Patna: Bihar Independent MLA and strongman Anant Singh - allegedly evading arrest in connection with a case lodged under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) has said he will surrender in court in the next three-four days.
In a video message, the Mokama MLA also asserted that he will interact with the journalists on his return. "I am not afraid of getting arrested. I have come to see my ailing friend and will surrender in the court in next three-four days.
"But first of all, I will go to my flat and interact with journalists," the legislator said in the video clip sent to media houses on Sunday.
Singh was booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) after a police team raided his ancestral house at Ladma village in Madhepura district and seized an AK-47 rifle, a magazine, live cartridges and two hand grenades on Friday.
The Parliament has recently passed an amendment to the anti-terror law UAPA to give powers to the Centre to designate an individual as terrorist and seize his properties.
The accused legislator claimed that he had sought time with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar but failed to get an appointment.
Contending that he did not visit his ancestral house in the past 14 years, 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. Singh also questioned the police for allegedly not informing his family or journalists before conducting raids.
A second raid was carried out at the official residence (1, Mall Road) of Anant Singh on Saturday for his arrest but the MLA was found to be absconding, Superintendent of Police (Rural), Patna, Kantesh Kumar Mishra said.
His accomplice Chhotan Singh was, however, apprehended from the residence during the raid, he said.
A sword and a mobile phone were also seized from the legislator's official residence.
Dismissing the MLAs allegations, the SP said the raid was carried out in the presence of a magistrate, as well as the caretaker of the house, in accordance with the law. The entire exercise has been recorded on video, the officer claimed.
Mishra also said that a separate FIR was being lodged with Sachivalaya police station in Patna against the Independent MLA for giving shelter and protection to Chhotan Singh, an accused in connection with a criminal case lodged with Barh police station.
Singh nicknamed "Chhote Sarkaar"- has a lengthy criminal record and was recently summoned to the police headquarters in Patna for giving his voice sample in connection with an attack on a Mokama-based contractor.
He was formerly known to have shared a close relationship with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar but the two apparently fell out ahead of the 2015 assembly elections.
Singh then left the JD(U) and contested and retained his seat as an Independent.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
