Gangster-turned-politician Anand Mohan Singh released from Saharsa jail

Gangster-turned-politician Anand Mohan Singh, who was serving a life sentence for the murder of then Gopalganj District Magistrate, G Krishnaiah, was released from Saharsa jail on Thursday (April 27) morning.

Singh’s release was allowed under a jail sentence remission order after the state government recently amended the prison rules allowing the early release of 27 convicts including him.

Anand was serving a life term for his alleged role in the 1994 murder of the then Gopalganj collector G Krishnaiah, a young IAS officer, during the funeral procession of Muzaffarpur gangster Chotan Shukla.

Anand, who was in jail for the last 15 years after being convicted in the case, is expected to reach his home later on Thursday (April 27).

Also read: Bihar: Ex-MP linked to IAS officer’s murder to be freed after change in Bihar Prison Manual

#WATCH | Supporters of gangster-turned-politician Anand Mohan Singh, welcome his release from Saharsa jail in Bihar.

Bihar government had recently amended the prison rules allowing the release of 27 convicts including him. He was serving a life sentence in the 1994 murder of… pic.twitter.com/zR2EW5wcsX

— ANI (@ANI) April 27, 2023

His supporters turned up to welcome his release.

Victim’s widow appeals to President, PM to intervene

Uma Devi, the widow of Krishnaiah, appealed to the President and the Prime Minister to intervene in the matter and to ask Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to send Anand back to jail.

#WATCH | "I appeal to the President and the PM to intervene in this matter and ask CM Nitish Kumar to send him (Anand Mohan) back to jail…," says Uma Devi, wife of the then Gopalganj DM (Bihar), G Krishnaiah who was murdered by gangster-turned-politician Anand Mohan Singh in… pic.twitter.com/4KtZ8WGEEt

— ANI (@ANI) April 27, 2023

Slain IAS officer’s daughter asks govt to reconsider decision

The slain IAS officer’s daughter, Padma, also made an appeal for the decision to release him to be revoked. She said, “It’s disheartening for us that Anand Mohan Singh has been released from jail today. The government should reconsider this decision. I request Nitish Kumar ji to give a second thought to this decision. With this decision, his govt has set a wrong example. It is unfair not just to a family but to the whole nation. We will appeal against this decision.”

Hyderabad | It's disheartening for us that Anand Mohan Singh has been released from jail today. The government should reconsider this decision. I request Nitish Kumar ji to give a second thought to this decision. With this decision, his govt has set a wrong example. It is unfair… pic.twitter.com/Q3CS2Vauzh

— ANI (@ANI) April 27, 2023

IAS Association of Andhra Pradesh expresses strong objection

The IAS Association of Andhra Pradesh released a press note objecting to the release of Anand Mohan Singh.

“The IAS Association of Andhra Pradesh expresses strong objection at the decision of the state government of Bihar to release the convicts of the brutal killing of late Sri 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 of the poor and downtrodden. Even on the day he was brutally killed, he was trying to safeguard his bodyguard from the mob,” the release said.

A local court in October 2007 had initially sentenced Anand to death, but the sentence was later commuted to life term by the Patna High court in December, 2008, when he appealed against the lower court’s verdict.

The Nitish Kumar government, on April 10, amended the Bihar Prison Manual, 2012 and removed a clause which said those convicted for murder of a public servant on duty could not be given remission of their jail term.

The move sparked a political controversy, with the coalition government drawing fire from the Opposition BJP.

BJP’s MP Sushil Kumar Modi, also Bihar’s former deputy chief minister, has said Kumar had sacrificed law to stay on in power with support from ally RJD.

(With inputs from agencies)