SC agrees to hear petition against gangster-politician Anand Mohan's release
What's the story
The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear a petition challenging the premature release of ex-Bihar MP and gangster-turned-politician Anand Mohan Singh from prison.
The petition has been filed by the wife of slain Dalit IAS officer G Krishnaiah, and the hearing in this matter will be held on May 8.
Notably, Singh was convicted of abetting the murder of the officer in 1994.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Singh, the founder of the now-defunct Bihar People's Party, was convicted of inciting a mob to kill then-Gopalganj District Magistrate Krishnaiah in 1994.
The mob was allegedly part of the burial procession for Singh's fellow party member, Chhotan Shukla, who had been killed the day before in an encounter.
According to reports, requests for Singh's release came from across party lines in Bihar.
Plea
Slain IAS officer's wife petitioned SC against Singh's release
On Thursday, Uma Krishnaiah, the wife of the slain IAS officer, petitioned the Supreme Court to challenge the premature release of the Bihar politician from the state's Saharsa prison.
She argued that Singh's life sentence meant detention for the rest of his natural life and that it could not be mechanically translated to only 14 years.
Quote
Life imprisonment beyond application of remission: Uma
"Life imprisonment, when awarded as a substitute for the death penalty, has to be carried out strictly as directed by the court and would be beyond the application of remission," Uma said in her petition before the apex court.
Release
Singh walked free after Bihar government amended rules
Singh was released on Thursday after the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar allegedly changed the prisoner categorization rules.
He was granted bail for 15 days since his son Chetan Anand, a Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA from Sheohar, is getting married on Wednesday in Dehradun.
Reportedly, Singh was to be released at 7:00am on Thursday, but he was released earlier to avoid media attention.
Challenge
IAS body, Dalit rights group opposed Singh's release
Previously, the apex body of central civil services officers, the Central IAS Association, 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."
Meanwhile, the Bihar unit of the Bhim Army's Bharat Ekta Mission also moved the Patna High Court against Singh's release and 26 others.
Facts
Singh first politician to receive death penalty since independence
Notably, the Bihar government has amended the Prison Manual, 2012, and removed a clause that stated anyone guilty of "murder of public servant on duty" couldn't 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.