Gangster-turned-politician Anand Mohan walked out of Bihar’s Saharsa District Prison in the early hours of Thursday amid outrage over the Nitish Kumar-led government’s decision to amend the jail rules on remission, ANI reported.

Mohan, who founded the now-defunct Bihar People’s Party, was convicted for the murder of Gopalganj District Magistrate G Krishnaiah in 1994. The court held him guilty of inciting a mob that was protesting the killing of Chhotan Shukla, another gangster-turned-politician from the Bihar People’s Party.

On April 10, the state amended its prison manual to remove a provision that disallowed remission to those convicted for murdering a public servant on duty.

The amendment allows early release of those convicted for such crimes if they have served an actual sentence of 14 years of imprisonment or 20 years of imprisonment with remission.

On the basis of the amendment, the state law department included Mohan, a former MP and an influential Rajput leader, in a list of 27 life term convicts to be granted early release.

His release is being seen as a move by the ruling Janata Dal (United) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal to get upper caste votes in Bihar.

The murdered Dalit IAS officer’s wife Uma Krishnaiah has said that she was “shocked and outraged” by the Bihar government’s decision. She called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and ask the state to withdraw the decision.

The Central Indian Administrative Service Association also criticised the move, saying that the amendment of the prison manual was tantamount to denial of justice.

“Such dilution leads to impunity, erosion in morale of public servants, undermines public order and makes a mockery of administration of justice,” the association representing civil servants said. “We strongly request the state government of Bihar to reconsider its decision at the earliest.”

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati described the decision as an “anti-Dalit” step.

Amar Jyoti, Bihar in-charge of Bhim Army’s Bharat Ekta Mission, moved the Patna High Court against the state government’s order, ANI reported. In a public interest litigation, the outfit said that the Nitish Kumar government had tweaked the rules to “favour criminals”.

But Janata Dal (United) MLC Neeraj Kumar dismissed the concerns, saying that the amendment was not meant to benefit any individual.