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Bihar: Jailed former MP holds junta darbar; six cops suspended

March 10, 2010 18:24 IST

The Bihar government on Wednesday suspended six policemen for allowing a former Bihar Member of Parliament Anand Mohan, serving a life imprisonment in the 1994 lynching case of Gopalganj district magistrate G Krishnaiah, to visit a politician's residence to hold press conference, followed by a 'janata darbar,' on his way from jail in Saharsa to appear in a court in Sitamarhi district.

Anand Mohan, a known bahubali, who is also facing several other criminal charges, including murder, kidnapping and extortion, lodged in a jail in Saharsa, visited the residence of a Rashtriya Janata Dal leader in Samastipur district on Tuesday on his way from jail to appear in a court in Sitamarhi district. He also held a press conference in Samastipur and later held a janata darbar in Sitamarhi.

It was this violation of the jail rules that attracted the ire of the state government, after the news was telecast by local news-channels. "Six policemen were suspended after being found guilty," a police official in Saharsa told rediff.com.

This is not the first time that Singh has been found violating the jail rules. He was earlier charged with threatening a superintendent of police in Patna.

It was not the first such case in Bihar, it is common that criminals enjoy a 'good life' in custody. In the past, raids in the state's jails have led to the seizure of colour TVs, mobile phones, imported liquor and cigarettes.

Criminal-turned-politicians like Pappu Yadav and Mohammad Shahabuddin hit the headlines for holding 'durbars' (courts) inside the jail and threatening the staff.

There have been reports of criminals-turned-politician visiting markets and homes of people on way back from court hearings.

A few years ago, former legislator Rajan Tiwari, who is facing several criminal charges, reportedly visited a massage parlour outside the high-security Beur jail in Patna where he was an under trial.

M I Khan in Patna