India’s Supreme Court to hear plea over ex-Bihar MP’s premature release on May 8

The Supreme Court on Monday (May 1) agreed to hear on May 8 a plea challenging the Bihar government's decision to prematurely release former MP Anand Mohan

The Supreme Court on Monday (May 1) agreed to hear on May 8 a plea challenging the Bihar government's decision to prematurely release former MP Anand Mohan who was serving life term in the 1994 murder case of then Gopalganj district magistrate G Krishnaiah.

A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice JB Pardiwala said it would take up the matter on May 8 after the counsel appearing for Uma krishnaiah, the widow of slain the officer, sought urgent hearing.

Mohan was released from the Saharsa jail on April 27 following an amendment in Bihar's prison rules.

The petitioner has contended the life imprisonment awarded to the gangster-turned-politician meant incarceration for his entire natural course of life and it cannot be mechanically interpreted to last just 14 years.

"Life imprisonment, when awarded as a substitute for death penalty, has to be carried out strictly as directed by the court and would be beyond application of remission," she said in her petition before the Supreme Court.