‘What’s the controversy in this?': Bihar deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav on Anand Mohan's release

The Bihar government's law department issued a notification for the release of 27 prisoners including Anand Mohan Singh, convicted in G Krishnaiah's murder.

Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav on Tuesday defended the release of ex-Lok Sabha MP Anand Mohan Singh, who is convicted in the murder of IAS officer G Krishnaiah.

"What's the controversy in this? He has served his sentence and is being released legally," Yadav told reporters in Patna. The deputy chief minister's remark comes amid the criticism his government is facing over the release of the gangster-turned-politician.

The Bihar government's law department on Monday had issued a notification for the release of 27 prisoners including Anand Mohan Singh, who was convicted in the then Gopalganj DM's murder and has been in jail since 2007. The home department had notified the3 change in the rule 481(1-a) of the Bihar Prison Manual 2012, deleting the phrase relating to “murder of a government servant on duty”.

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav with former MP Anand Mohan attend engagement function of MLA Chetan Anand, in Patna, Monday, April 24, 2023. (PTI Photo) (PTI04_25_2023_000257B) (PTI)

Awarded life imprisonment in the murder case, Singh received the news of his release while he was attending his son Chetan Anand's engagement ceremony in Patna. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, his deputy Tejashwi Yadav and JD(U) chief Lalan Singh were among the leaders present at the engagement ceremony.

JD(U) chief Lalan Singh said on Anand Mohan's release,"“Anand Mohan has served his jail term and the Nitish Kumar government has removed a discriminatory clause which prevented some of the prisoners from securing release. It is in line with our leader’s policy of framing no innocent person and sparing nobody who is guilty".

On his release, Anand Mohan referred to the freeing of convicts in Bilkis Bano rape case in Gujarat. ““One can say anything. Has the decision been taken in Gujarat also under the pressure of Nitish Kumar and the RJD? Some people were garlanded after being released”, he said.