HC seeks Bihar govt reply on jail manual tweak

PATNA: The Patna HC on Friday directed Bihar's home department to file its reply within a week on a PIL filed by an ex-civil servant against the recent amendment to the prison manual, which paved the way for "premature" release of don-turned-politician Anand Mohan, and 26 others convicted of heinous crimes.
A division bench of Chief Justice K Vinod Chandran and Justice Rajiv Roy also asked advocate general P K Shahi to address the court on legal aspects of the matter during the next hearing on May 12. The petitioner, Anupam Kumar Suman, has sought quashing of the state's home department notification dated April 10, whereby Rule 481(i) (a) of Bihar Prison Manual, 2012, was amended.
When the hearing on the PIL began, the state's counsel sought adjournment as the advocate general, who was to argue in this case, was busy in another courtroom. The bench orally observed that the matter is serious and could not be adjourned for long. The state counsel pointed out that a writ petition challenging the amendment had also been filed before the SC, which was likely to take it up next week.
Earlier, the prison rules stipulated a minimum period of 20-year jail term for a convict sentenced to life imprisonment for murder of a public servant on duty. The tweaking of rules makes such a category of prisoners eligible for premature release after spending 14 years in jail.