Anand Mohan Singh walks free after Bihar government amends rule
Anand Mohan Singh, a former Bihar MP and gangster-turned-politician who was convicted of abetting the murder of a Dalit IAS officer in 1994, walked free in the early hours of Thursday. The Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government is facing criticism for facilitating Singh's release by tweaking the classification rules of prisoners. His current location is unknown, and his home in Bihar's Saharsa was found locked.
Why does this story matter?
Singh is the founder of the now-defunct Bihar People's Party. He was found guilty of instigating a mob that lynched Gopalganj district magistrate G Krishnaiah, a Dalit, in 1994. The mob was part of the funeral procession of Singh's fellow party member, Chhotan Shukla, who was killed a day earlier. Reportedly, calls for Singh's release came from across party lines in Bihar.
Singh's son Chetan Anand to get married next week
Singh was out on parole for 15 days as his son Chetan Anand, a Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA from Sheohar, is set to get married in Dehradun on May 3. During his furlough, he spoke to the media and returned to jail on Wednesday. Singh was initially scheduled to be released at 7:00am but was freed earlier to avoid media coverage.
Dalit rights group moves Patna HC against Singh's release
Earlier, the Central IAS Association, the apex body of central civil services officers, urged the Bihar government to reconsider its decision to release Singh. It called Singh's release "tantamount to the denial of justice" and a "mockery of administration of justice." The Bihar unit of Bhim Army's Bharat Ekta Mission also moved the Patna High Court against Singh's release and 26 others.
Singh was first politician since Independence to receive death penalty
Notably, the Bihar government amended the Prison Manual, 2012, and removed a clause that stated anyone guilty of "murder of public servant on duty" could not be given remission. In 2007, a lower court sentenced him to death. However, the Patna HC remitted the sentence to life in 2008, and the Supreme Court upheld it in 2012. Singh was in prison for 15 years.
