Anand Mohan, the Rajput leader, may outweigh Anand Mohan, the murder convict, as Nitish Kumar govt tweaks prison rules

As per Rule 481(i)(a) of the jail manual: “Every convicted prisoner, whether male or female, undergoing sentence of life imprisonment and covered by the provisions of Section 433A CrPC, shall be eligible to be considered for premature release from prison immediately after serving out the sentence of 14 years of actual imprisonment, i.e. without the remissions.”

It lists categories of convicted prisoners covered under the Section who would be entitled to be considered for premature release only after serving 20 years, including remissions. They include those imprisoned for life for murder in heinous cases, such as murder with rape, murder with dacoity, murder involving an offence under the Protection of Civil Rights Act 1955, murder for dowry, murder of a child below 14 years of age, multiple murders, murder committed after conviction while inside the prison, murder during parole, murder in a terrorist incident, and murder in a smuggling operation. Till April 10, those convicted of murdering public servantss on duty also fell in this category.

While Bihar Home Department sources tentatively expect 29 people across the state to benefit from the change, the biggest name could be Anand Mohan Singh. A former Lok Sabha MP, Anand Mohan was one of the co-founders of the Samata Party along with Nitish, and is still counted as one of the state’s most prominent Rajput leaders, with sizeable clout among voters. His wife Lovely Anand has also been a Lok Sabha MP, while their son Chetan Anand is an MLA of JD(U) ally RJD from Sheohar.

Several Rajput leaders in the JD(U) have long been putting pressure on the Mahagathbandhan government for Anand Mohan’s early release. On at least three occasions in the last two years, the Bihar CM has himself hinted that he “stands” by his former colleague. This position of Nitish is in complete contrast to his frequent calls for speedy convictions of criminals during his first term. Before the 2010 Assembly polls, he in fact visited Anand Mohan’s Saharsa home to seek the blessings of his mother.

Now, with both the Mahagathbandhan and BJP vying for upper caste votes, Anand Mohan, his wife Lovely and their son Chetan could play a crucial role in the 2024 Lok Sabha and 2025 Assembly polls, in Kosi and adjoining areas.

Anand Mohan was convicted for the murder of Krishnaiah on December 5, 1994, in Vaishali, after a violent mob lynched the DM, allegedly on the provocation of the politician and others. They were leading a march against the murder of muscleman Chhotan Shukla. Anand Mohan was sentenced to death by the Patna High Court in 2007, with the Supreme Court later converting it to life imprisonment. He is currently lodged in Saharsa jail.
The importance of the Rajput vote can be gauged from the fact that the BJP too has been treading cautiously on the matter of the jail rules amendment. Instead, BJP Rajya Sabha MP and former deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi argued: “If the state government can amend a law to benefit certain people, it should rather think big and give general amnesty to all those who have been booked and jailed under the liquor law. This will benefit over 3.7 lakh poor people embroiled in court cases.”

JD(U) MLC and former minister Neeraj Kumar defended the jail manual change to The Indian Express: “It is well within this government’s rights to do so. It is an administrative decision, not being done to benefit any individual. No politics should be read into it.”

Currently, a committee is working on implementing the amended jail manual provisions, with district magistrates, superintendents of police and jail superintendents asked to prepare a list of those who can be given premature release.