Anand Singh

Anand Singh Biography

Anand Singh is an Indian politician from the state of Karnataka. He represents Indian National Congress at Karnataka state assembly at present, since 2008. Currently he is serving his third consecutive term as Member of Legislative Assembly. He got elected to state assembly for the first time in 2008 and also served as Tourism minister in Government of Karnataka during his first term. He got elected to Legislative Assembly in 2013 and 2018 as well, all three times from Vijayanagara. He has been limelight after he was arrested in the Belekeri iron ore scam in 2015. In 2019 he was thrashed by another MLA J. N. Ganesh, while staying at a resort and was seriously injured. Following the row Ganesh was expelled from the party.

Anand Singh hails from Vijayanagara, Karnataka. He has been into mining business before he turned politician.  He owns a company named S B Minerals. He turned active in politics in the 2000s. He has been representing his hometown constituency for the past three consecutive terms since 2008 and also served as Minister of Tourism. In 2008 he gained 52418 votes and defeated BJP candidate H. R. Gaviappa. In 2013 state assembly elections, he defeated H. Abdul Wahab to retain the seat.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Karnataka Lokayukta arrested Anand Singh in connection with illegal mining case in Bellary in 2015, but was later released. He was accused of illegally supplying 17,086 metric tonnes of iron ore through his company S B Minerals to a firm called Muneer Enterprises. He was arrested for the supply of iron without legal permits. It was not the first time he has been arrested for corruption charges. Singh had earlier been arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau of the CBI in October 2013. It was alleged that he had a role in the large illegal mining and exports. He was later released on bail.

Published: January 22, 2019

Updated: January 22, 2019