Fernandes meets Anand Mohan in jail, lends support

PATNA: NDA convener George Fernandes met Anand Mohan Singh at Beur Central Jail here on Sunday to lend moral support to the former JD(U) MP, who was awarded the death sentence by a Patna court in connection with the killing of former Gopalganj DM G Krishnaiah in December 1994.
Fernandes told newspersons that there was no substance in the charges framed against Anand Mohan and others in the case."Beyond this, I wouldn't like to comment since the matter is subjudice," he said.
Fernandes was accompanied by eight MLAs, including five from JD(U), among others. He had obtained due permission from IG prisons to meet the jailed ex-MP. In the process, Fernandes also took swipes at his bete noire, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar.
"This government should have collapsed earlier," he said. The leaders should work out a strategy to remove the Nitish government, he added. The NDA convener also expressed his concern over the rough treatment being given to Anand Mohan, his former MP wife Lovely Anand and others. "Their (the ex-MP couples) children don't even know that their parents are in prison," he said.
"The meeting lasted for just 10 minutes. Anand Mohan is being treated like an animal. His cell doesn't even have a fan," JD(U) MLA Neeraj Kumar Singh said. Former MP Arun Kumar said: "Anand Mohan and others are being tortured inside the jail. We will take this matter to the people's court."
Kumar was particularly critical of principal home secretary Afzal Amanullah, who had said that the government will go up to the Supreme Court to ensure that the verdict of the lower court is upheld, and that the government had prepared a list of 21 such politicians who would be prosecuted soon.
"The home secretary seemed to be speaking on behalf of the judiciary. The judiciary should take suo motu cognisance of his comments," Kumar said.
Earlier in the day, Fernandes' 40-strong motorcade arrived at the Beur jail amidst tight security. Thakurs bosses from parties ranging from JD(U), to BJP and LJP accompanied Fernandes including one independent MLC Munna Singh. While they dubbed CM Nitish Kumar as "Matlab ka yaar (a fair-weather friend)", the MLAs targeted the bureaucrats to vent their anger.