"Unconstitutional and anti-Dalit move": Sushil Modi on Anand Mohan Singh's release from jail

Patna (Bihar) [India], April 27 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Sushil Modi on Thursday came hard against the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government over the release of murder convict and former MP Anand Mohan Singh, and called the decision as "unconstitutional and anti-Dalit" which has created an atmosphere of "fear" in the state.

Speaking to , Sushil Modi said, "Earlier, there was a protective shield for the public servants. Any person convicted of killing a public servant on duty used to get no remission. I would urge the IAS association to come ahead and speak against it, and also file PIL in the Supreme Court. An unconstitutional and anti-Dalit work has been done in the state".

"It has created an atmosphere of fear in Bihar. Many dreaded criminals have been released just for scoring some political gains. BJP condemns this move," he added.

On Monday, the Bihar government issued a notification regarding the release of 27 prisoners including former Lok Sabha member Anand Mohan Singh from jail.

This comes after Gangster-turned-politician Anand Mohan Singh walked free from Bihar's Saharsa jail early Thursday morning, a move which was mandated following the amendment of the prison rules by the Bihar government allowing the release of 27 convicts including him.

This development drew backlash from several circles.

The Indian Administrative Service Association (IAS) of Andhra Pradesh has expressed objection to the decision and has urged the Bihar government to reconsider its decision.

A plea was also filed by an advocate in the Patna High Court against the government's move, seeking court's intervention into a decision that is "not for people's good".

Earlier in the day, the widow of slain District Magistrate G Krishnaiah who was murdered by the gangster-turned-politician also objected to the release of Anand Mohan Singh from Bihar's Saharsa jail. She also appealed to President Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and ask Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to send him to jail.

Anand Mohan was convicted in the murder of Gopalganj District Magistrate G Krishnaiah on December 5, 1994, in Muzaffarpur. Krishnaiah was killed by a mob allegedly provoked by Anand Mohan Singh. He was dragged out of his official car and lynched.

G Krishnaiah, a 1985-batch IAS officer who hailed from Mahbubnagar in present-day Telangana.

Anand Mohan was sentenced to death by a trial court in 2007. A year later, the sentence was commuted to life imprisonment by the Patna High Court. Mohan then challenged the verdict in Supreme Court but no relief has been granted yet and he has remained in Saharsa jail since 2007.

His wife Lovely Anand has also been a Lok Sabha MP, while their son Chetan Anand is an RJD MLA from Bihar's Sheohar.