Former gangster-turned-politician Anant Kumar Singh, who recently saw his MLA wife switch allegiance from the opposition RJD to CM Nitish Kumar's JD (U), was released on parole from Beur jail in Patna on Sunday.
Singh, serving a 10-year sentence by a Patna court under the UAPA, has been granted a 15-day release, officials confirmed.
Arriving at his ancestral home in Mokama, about 100 km from Patna, Singh was welcomed by a throng of supporters. Despite his disqualification as the MLA from Mokama following his conviction, his wife, Neelam Devi, retained the seat.
Singh, known locally as "Chhote Sarkar," declared victory for JD(U)'s former president Rajiv Ranjan Singh "Lalan," who seeks to retain the Munger Lok Sabha seat, including Mokama, in elections on May 13.
Interestingly, in 2019, Neelam Devi contested against Lalan on the ticket of Congress, the RJD's junior ally in Bihar.
Singh, once known to be close to the CM, had by then burned his bridges, and in 2020 he contested the assembly poll on an RJD ticket.
Singh and his supporters had squarely blamed a "conspiracy" by Lalan when grenades and rocket launchers were seized from his Mokama residence, leading to the UAPA case.
A couple of months ago, when Nitish Kumar pulled the plug on a short-lived alliance with the RJD and returned to the BJP-led NDA, Neelam Devi switched sides.
RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari targeted the Nitish Kumar government over Singh's release from jail.
"Here is a government that itself seems to be on parole, what to speak of the release of one individual. We all know how this government in Bihar was formed. Some favours have to be returned," remarked Tiwari.
The release of Singh, whose influence spreads beyond Mokama, is being viewed as an attempt to galvanise upper-caste Bhumihars in favour of the NDA in Munger.
The RJD has fielded Kumari Anita, wife of dreaded gangster Ashok Mahto, who is known to be a staunch critic of upper caste dominance in society and politics.
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