‘It’s a Happy Moment for Our Village and Bihar’: Supporters Waiting to Welcome Anand Mohan Back Home

After a political slugfest over the release of former Bihar MP Anand Mohan, who was sentenced to life imprisonment, the Rajput leader was released from Saharsa jail on Thursday morning. The controversy erupted after the Bihar government amended the Bihar Prison Manual, 2012, which remitted prisoners’ punishment for crime like murder of government servants on duty.

The BJP had alleged that the Nitish Kumar government released Anand Mohan and 26 other prisoners for appeasement ahead of the 2024 General Elections.

The central IAS association has condemned the state government for releasing Anand Mohan, who was convicted for the murder of then Gopalganj District Magistrate G Krishnaiah in 1994, and appealed to them to reconsider their decision.

But Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav commented since Anand Mohan has completed his life term, his release from the jail is not wrong.

According to sources, Anand Mohan will go to his native village Panchgachia from the jail and hold a roadshow where thousands of supporters are expected.

Meanwhile, News18 has reached Anand Mohan’s village to take a sense of what people think of his release.

How the Villagers View His Release?

Upon reaching Panchgachiya village in Saharsa district, on the eve of former MP and murder convict Anand Mohan’s release, his supporters look ready for a grand welcome of his leader.

According to sources, thousands of supporters will be escorting him to his village where he will bow down to his Kuldevata and then speak for the first time as a free man. It is estimated that at least 10,000 people will attend the roadshow, in which at least a thousand four wheelers and hundreds of two-wheelers will follow Mohan to his native village from Saharsa jail.

On the way, he will be garlanded by his supporters and flower petals will be showered on him. People are enthusiastic about his release and they are hoping that Anand Mohan will emerge as their leader again, and, unlike other politicians, he will develop the region in the coming days.

News18 spoke to some of the locals who were eagerly awaiting to welcome their leader.

Roushan Kumar Singh, head (Mukhiya) of the Panchganchia village, said, “It’s a moment of happiness not only for our village but for whole Bihar. There can be no happier day than this. Everyone in the village whether children, elderly, men and women, all are eager to see Anand Mohan back in the village. They have been waiting for him to come out since long. I want to thank Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for taking the decision to change the prison laws. Anand Mohan has always worked for the downtrodden and needy. After his release there will be a new hope of change. He was a victim of political vendetta and enmity and despite being innocent, he has spent 15 years in jail. We are ready for a grand welcome.”

When asked what was Anand Mohan like during his childhood and later stage, a man in his 80s, Rana Singh, said, “He has evolved from the Jai Prakash Narayan movement and he has always worked as a messiah for poor. We are really happy for his release and we believe that he would work for the development of Bihar. I don’t know which party he would support but whatever he decides will be in the favour of development of Bihar. He has never done anything for his own benefits.”

Another supporter, Shiv Singh, when asked whether Anand Mohan’s release would benefit people, replied, “There will definitely be a change and better development work will take place. Not only Saharsa but the whole Kosi belt will be benefitted by his release. Now every system will work properly when he comes out.

After his native village, the News18 team went to the adjacent village of Panchgachiya to see whether people had the same opinion; we found a voice which differed.

Requesting anonymity, a middle-aged man, when asked whether Anand Mohan’s release would help the development process in the region, said. “Nothing will change, no difference will be there because he will be also like other Netas. CM Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav only look at their personal benefits for bigger roles and because of that they are meeting the leaders of other states. The fact is that Anand Mohan has been released by Nitish Kumar just to gain the Kshatriya vote bank. I am not happy; how can one be happy with the politicians of Bihar. I am a graduate and I know English as well but I am selling tobacco today. I have no choice because there is no employment and Netas are not bothered to solve our problems whether its civic works or public welfare.”

Another man, however, said, “We welcome his release but we expect him to protect our villages, make roads, sewers, toilets, improve electricity, take care of sanitisation and other local issues, which are not being a addressed by the elected leaders at present. We look at Anand Mohan to solve our problems.”

What was the Case?

Anand Mohan was convicted in the 1994 murder of then Gopalganj District Magistrate G Krishnaiah. His associate Chhotan Shukla was killed in an alleged encounter with the police.

On December 5, 1994, G Krishnaiah, a Dalit IAS officer, was thrashed and shot dead by a mob, which was allegedly instigated by Anand Mohan. Six people, including Anand, his wife, Lovely Anand, were made accused.

In 2007, the Patna High Court convicted him and sentenced him to death. This was the first case in Independent India, in which a politician was sentenced to death. However, in 2008, his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment by the Supreme court.

In 2012, Anand Mohan had demanded that the top court reduce the sentence, which was rejected by the court. The Bahubali politician was the elected MP from Seohar Lok Sabha seat in 1996 while being in jail. He was lodged in Saharsa jail and has served more than 14 years of his sentence.

A decision of the Bihar cabinet was taken on April 10 in which, after the amendment in Rule 481, 1 ‘A’ of Bihar Jail Manual 2012, the murder of government personnel on duty will not be counted as an exception, rather it will be considered as a simple murder. With this amendment, Anand Mohan and 26 such convicts were set free by the Bihar government.

Read all the Latest India News here