The Supreme Court has ordered the Odisha government to decide on Dara Singh’s premature release plea by August 19, 2026. Get the latest case update
OdishaPlus Bureau
The Supreme Court has granted the Odisha government a month to decide on the remission request of Ravindra Pal, also known as Dara Singh, who is currently serving a life sentence for the murders of Australian missionary Graham Stuart Staines and his two young sons in Keonjhar district in 1999.
A bench comprising Justices Manoj Misra and Vijay Bishnoi has scheduled the matter for a hearing on August 19, following a request for additional time from the state government.
“Let him also celebrate Independence Day. You must decide by August 15,” the court instructed the counsel representing the Odisha government on Tuesday.
Previously, the bench had also directed the state’s sentence review committee to make a determination regarding Singh’s remission plea.
“A request has been submitted on behalf of the state for a brief adjournment, as the committee responsible for making a decision has requested the records, which are not yet available to them,” the court stated while rescheduling the matter for further consideration.
“In the interim, we anticipate that the committee will arrive at its decision,” it added.
A mob led by Singh assaulted Staines and his two sons—11-year-old Philip and 8-year-old Timothy—while they were asleep in their station wagon, subsequently setting the vehicle ablaze in Manoharpur village of Keonjhar district during the night of January 22-23, 1999.
Singh, identified as the principal perpetrator in the triple homicide, was convicted and sentenced to death by a CBI court in 2003.
In 2005, the Orissa High Court reduced his death sentence to life imprisonment, a decision that was affirmed by the Supreme Court in 2011.
During the hearing on Tuesday, the bench inquired of Odisha government counsel P V Yogeswaran regarding the status of the proceedings concerning Singh’s request for premature release. The counsel responded that the committee was awaiting certain documents from the district court, which are currently being requested. On March 19 of the previous year, the apex court instructed the Odisha government to make a determination regarding the remission plea.
Singh, aged 63, approached the court in 2024, seeking premature release on the basis that he has served over 24 years in prison and has expressed remorse for the consequences of his actions, which he attributes to a moment of “youthful rage.” In his plea, he stated that he adheres to karmic philosophy and prays for a chance to reform his character to mitigate the effects of the negative karma resulting from his actions. The plea was submitted through advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain.
In his appeal for the court’s clemency, Singh assured the court that he would contribute positively to society through “service-oriented actions.” He also requested that the state government evaluate his case in line with the guidelines for the premature release of life convicts issued in 2022, which pertain to the three cases for which he was convicted. Currently incarcerated in the Keonjhar district jail, Singh noted that he has exceeded the requisite period of 14 years under the policy established on April 19, 2022, having spent over 24 years in actual imprisonment without remission.
Furthermore, he asserted that the relevant authorities are legally obligated to review his case for premature release in accordance with the “Guideline for Premature Release 2022” enacted by the Odisha government.
He stated that the authorities did not act in accordance with the established rules, which put his right to liberty, as guaranteed by Article 21 of the Constitution, at risk.
Mehendra Hembram, a co-conspirator of Singh, is currently serving a life sentence in connection with the case, while 11 other defendants were acquitted by the high court due to insufficient evidence.
Staines and his spouse, Gladys, were involved with the Mayurbhanj Evangelical Missionary organization, providing care for individuals suffering from leprosy.
Gladys Staines, who received the Padma Shri award in 2005, expressed that she had forgiven the individuals responsible for the deaths of her husband and sons, and she harbored no resentment towards them.
He indicated that the authorities failed to comply with the regulations, which endangered his right to liberty as protected by Article 21 of the Constitution.
Mehendra Hembram, who was an associate of Singh, is also serving a life sentence in this matter, while the high court acquitted 11 other defendants due to a lack of evidence.
Staines and his wife, Gladys, were affiliated with the Mayurbhanj Evangelical Missionary organization, where they provided care for leprosy patients.
Gladys Staines, honored with the Padma Shri in 2005, mentioned that she had forgiven the murderers of her husband and sons and felt no animosity towards them.
Dara Singh committed a gruesome murder of Grahan Steins and his two sons. They were burnt while they were asleep in their station wagon in the night of January 22-24 ,1999 by a mobile led by Dara. He was convicted and awarded life imprisonment instead of death penalty . It was a rarest of the rare cases he had committed. After spending 24 years in the prison the present government the Court ordered his release which I strongly oppose. He should have been spent in the jail for the rest of his life. What personal liberty he has got to qualify him to appeal for clemency for the killings of Graham Stein and his two siblings ? After his release he must be kept under close scrutiny of the Court directly for observation whether he is complying with the conditions he has mentioned in his clemency petition to the Court.
Sorry for typing error. It may be read as 22-23 January ,1999 instead of 22-24 January,1999.