Bihar Govt tweaks prison rules, 27 prisoners, including former MP Anand Mohan Singh to be released

The Bihar government has announced the release of 27 prisoners, including former MP Anand Mohan Singh, who was convicted of murdering bureaucrat G Krishnaiah in 1994. The move has sparked controversy as Singh's release follows the amendment of the Bihar Prison Manual, which allowed for the remission of jail terms for those convicted of murdering public servants on duty.

The murder of G Krishnaiah

G Krishnaiah, the former Gopalganj District Magistrate, was killed by a mob allegedly incited by Anand Mohan Singh, a gangster-turned-politician. In 2007, Singh was sentenced to death by a lower court in Bihar. However, the Patna High Court commuted his sentence to life imprisonment, which was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2012.

New rules for prisoner release

The Bihar government's notification states that the new rules are for prisoners who have served their actual sentence of 14 years or a sentence of 20 years with remission. The decision was taken after the Bihar State Sentence Remission Council meeting on April 20.

Controversy surrounding Anand Mohan Singh's release

Singh's release has sparked a massive opposition backlash, with Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) calling it "anti-Dalit". Mayawati tweeted that Singh's release after changing the rules in the case of the "brutal murder" of a "poor Dalit" IAS officer, G Krishnaiah, is being discussed negatively and anti-Dalit reasons in the whole country. She urged the Nitish Kumar government to reconsider the decision, stating that Singh's release would anger the Dalit community.

BJP's IT Cell head Amit Malviya also criticized the Bihar government, asking how someone who relies on a criminal syndicate to hold onto power can be the face of India, even as an opposition leader.

The ruling Janata Dal (United) hit back at the BJP, with a jibe also aimed at Mayawati, calling her party the "B-team in UP". JDU leader Rajiv Ranjan Singh said the change in rules was aimed at getting the common man and special prisoners on a uniform platform.

Anand Mohan Singh's influence

Anand Mohan Singh is a Rajput leader with considerable influence on his caste voters. Over the past two years, several politicians from the Rajput community have demanded Singh's early release. Even Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has hinted that he "stands by his former colleague". The change in the Bihar prison manual benefits Singh, who belongs to the influential Rajput community in Bihar.