Gangster-turned-politician Anand Mohan released from Bihar’s Saharsa jail
Move comes after jail manual amended by government to release prisoners for good conduct
Patna: Anand Mohan Singh, gangster-turned-politician who was convicted in the murder of a Dalit IAS officer G. Krishnaiah, was released from Bihar’s Saharsa jail on Thursday.
Jail superintendent Amit Kumar confirmed that Singh was released at 4.30am on Thursday. He had surrendered before the jail on Wednesday evening after his parole period of 15 days was over.
Anand Mohan was released on the basis of an amendment in 481A of the jail manual of 2012 by the Nitish Kumar government. Anand Mohan was serving life imprisonment in the murder of a government servant and there was a provision that the accused has to serve jail term till his/her last breath.
The Nitish Kumar government removed this clause from the jail manual 2012 and issued a notification on Monday to release 27 prisoners for their good conduct. Anand Mohan was one of them.
Earlier in the day, the widow of slain District Magistrate Krishnaiah objected to the release of Singh and appealed to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and ask Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to send him back to jail.
Krishnaiah was killed by a mob on December 5, 1994, in Muzaffarpur, allegedly provoked by Anand Mohan Singh. He was dragged out of his official car and lynched.
Meanwhile, Lovely Anand, the wife of Anand Mohan said: “It is a pleasing moment for us that an innocent person who served a jail term for more than 15 years is released now. It is a blessing for everyone.”
Plea filed in Patna HC
The amendment of Bihar Prison Manual 2012, according to which convicts who have served 14 or 20 years in jail could now be released, is “arbitrary and unreasonable”, an advocate who filed a plea in the Patna High Court against the government’s move said on Thursday.
Alka Verma who filed the petition in the High Court on Wednesday told ANI that the amendment is not for the people’s good and the court is expected to intervene on this ground.
“The amendment is not in good faith because it is arbitrary and its usefulness is not understandable. If we try to understand its use, it means that you have benefitted the criminals. The amendment should be for the people’s good. It is not for the good of the people. The government did not even consult the public servants. This is an arbitrary action. I expect the inference of the court on this ground. I filed the plea yesterday,” Verma said.
On Wednesday, the state prisons department released nearly 14 convicts from various jails of the state.
Singh was among eight others who could not be released yesterday.
There has been a backlash regarding the former MP’s release from jail by the opposition in the state.
Andhra IAS Association objects to release of Anand Mohan Singh
The Indian Administrative Service Association (IAS) of Andhra Pradesh has expressed objection to the Bihar government’s decision to release Anand Mohan Singh.
The IAS Association has urged the State Government of Bihar to reconsider its decision.
“The IAS association of Andhra Pradesh expresses strong objection to the decision of the State government of Bihar to release the convict of the brutal killing of late G Krishnaiah IAS, former District Magistrate of Gopalganj. Born in the state of Andhra Pradesh in a humble family, Sri Krishnaiah became an IAS officer by dint of his grit and determination and was allotted to Bihar Cadre. As an IAS officer, Sri Krishnaiah always took decisions in favour for the poor and downtrodden. Even on the day when he was brutally killed, he was trying to safeguard his bodyguard from the mob,” read the statement by the IAS Association.
“We strongly appeal to the State Government to reconsider its decision at the earliest in the interest of the nation,” it added.