Bihar STF Arrests Pandav Sena Chief Sanjay Singh With 26 Criminal Cases

The Bihar Special Task Force (STF) on Tuesday arrested Sanjay Singh, the leader of the outlawed Pandav Sena, a former upper-caste militia that later transformed into an organised criminal syndicate. Singh, a resident of Nima village in Patna district, has been facing at least 26 criminal cases across Bihar and Jharkhand, including murder, kidnapping for ransom, and extortion.

Singh's arrest marks a significant breakthrough for the state police, not only because of his role in violent caste conflicts that engulfed central Bihar in the 1990s, but also because investigators say he successfully converted his militia into an inter-state criminal network.

Rise of Pandav Sena

During the 1990s, central Bihar witnessed prolonged violent clashes between Left-wing Naxalite groups and private militias backed by sections of land-owning upper-caste communities. The most prominent of these was the Ranvir Sena, founded by Brahmeshwar Mukhiya. According to police, Singh was initially associated with the Ranvir Sena before breaking away to establish the Pandav Sena in 1995 along with Chitranjan Sharma.

The Pandav Sena emerged as a local militia aimed at countering Naxalite influence and protecting landowner interests. The group was active across Patna, Jehanabad, Arwal, and parts of Gaya, Nalanda and Bhagalpur. A senior police officer noted that unlike traditional village defence groups, Singh expanded the outfit's operational capabilities, amassing sophisticated weapons including AK-47 assault rifles, enabling it to operate across multiple districts.

Chitranjan Sharma later entered politics and was elected as a Bharatiya Janata Party MLA from Arwal in 2010. He died last year at age 51 after a prolonged illness.

Transition to Organised Crime

As state action and changing political conditions weakened private militias, Singh gradually converted the Pandav Sena into a criminal network. Investigators say the syndicate expanded into illegal sand mining, taking control of sand ghats along the Sone river in Patna, Bhojpur and Saran districts. The gang allegedly extorted money from sand-laden boats and later diversified into land grabbing, extortion and contract killings targeting contractors, developers and business owners.

Criminal Cases and Rivalry

According to Bihar STF Director General (Operations) Kundan Krishnan, Singh is named in at least 26 criminal cases registered in Bihar and Jharkhand. These include murder, kidnapping for ransom, dacoity with murder, offences under the Arms Act, and provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

A major chapter in Singh's criminal history involves his fallout with former associate Chitranjan Sharma. Police say the dispute, initially linked to control over territory and operations, escalated into a prolonged gang rivalry. In April 2020, Singh survived an attack near Nadwan railway station and accused the Sharma faction. In May 2022, Singh's close aide Sudhir Sharma was beaten to death, intensifying the conflict.

Investigators say Singh planned retaliatory attacks. In April 2022, hotelier Abhiram Sharma, Sharma's uncle, was shot dead at his residence in Jehanabad, while his nephew Dinesh was killed near Masaurhi. The following day, Sharma's brothers Gautam and Shambhu Singh were shot dead on a highway in Patna district.

Arrest

Following the 2022 killings, Singh was arrested by the STF in Ranchi. He later secured bail but was rearrested on Tuesday by the STF from a location not disclosed. He is currently in police custody and further investigation is underway.