Anand Mohan Singh convicted of killing IAS officer to be released after Bihar government changed prison rules

The Bihar government, in a major amendment has removed certain clauses of the prison rules that has facilitated the release of muscleman-turned-politician Anand Mohan Singh. Singh who was convicted of murdering IAS G Krishnaiah will be released today. The change in prison rules has met with severe criticism from the opposition.

Patna (Bihar): In a major announcement the Bihar government has changed certain prison rules to facilitate the release of muscle-man-turned politician Anand Mohan Singh. Former MP Singh who was convicted of the murder of IAS G Krishnaiah, a District Magistrate at the time, will be released along with 27 other prisoners.

Anand Mohan's release was impeded by certain regulations, but the government revised them to pave the way for his release. Specifically, the government amended Rule 481 (i) (a) of the Bihar Jail Manual, 2012, which previously prohibited the release of individuals convicted of killing a government official. The amendment removed this provision, thereby clearing the way for Anand Mohan's release. Additionally, the state government issued a notification on Monday authorizing the release of 27 individuals, including Anand Mohan.

Krishnaiah was killed by a mob allegedly instigated by Anand Mohan. Singh was sentenced to death by a lower court in Bihar in 2007, which was later commuted to life imprisonment by the Patna High Court. This decision was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2012. The recent change in the Bihar Prison Manual has allowed for the release of prisoners who have served a sentence of 14 years or 20 years with remission.

This move has been met with opposition, with Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) calling it "anti-Dalit." Anand Mohan's release has been controversial, as he was involved in the murder of a public servant on duty. The change in the law that allowed for his release has been criticized for its potential to undermine the safety of public servants.

The ruling Janata Dal (United) defended the decision, claiming that the change in the law was aimed at providing a uniform platform for all prisoners. Several politicians from the Rajput community have been advocating for Anand Mohan's early release, and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has also shown support for him.

Anand Mohan is currently on parole for his son's marriage, and he has previously been on parole twice for his daughter's wedding. His mother had requested his release, and Nitish Kumar had promised to facilitate it. The recent amendments to the law have cleared the way for his release.