Supreme Court Criticizes Odisha Board for Delay
The Supreme Court of India has expressed dissatisfaction with the Odisha State Sentence Review Board due to its prolonged delay in addressing a remission plea filed by Dara Singh, convicted for the 1999 murder of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two sons. The case, Rabindra Kumar Pal @ Dara Singh v. State of Odisha, was heard by a Bench comprising Justices Manoj Misra and Vijay Bishnoi.
During the hearing, the Bench critiqued the State’s inability to make a timely decision on Singh’s plea, which has been postponed multiple times. Justice Misra stated, “You take a decision, otherwise we will take our call. We cannot tolerate this.”
The Case Background
Dara Singh was found guilty as the leader of a mob that fatally attacked Graham Staines and his two sons in 1999. The mob set fire to a vehicle where the Staines family was sheltered. According to the Supreme Court’s ruling, the group aimed to “teach a lesson” to Staines over his religious conversion activities among tribal communities.
Originally, Singh was sentenced to death by the trial court. However, the Orissa High Court commuted this sentence to life imprisonment, a decision upheld by the Supreme Court in 2011.
Remission Plea Details
In his plea for remission, Singh, now over 60, highlighted that he has been incarcerated for more than 24 years. He expressed remorse for his past actions and claimed to have reformed. The plea further explained that the crimes were committed during his youth, driven by fervor to “safeguard and defend Mother India.” Notably, Singh mentioned that he has never been released on parole.
More Read
The Bench noted that Singh has been imprisoned for over 26 years. Despite earlier adjournments, the State Sentence Review Board (SSRB) had informed the Court that a decision was pending. However, a recent submission from the Directorate of Prisons and Correctional Services indicated a delay in receiving a report on Singh’s remission plea from the district jail.
Supreme Court’s Stance
Justice Misra emphasized, “We are not concerned about how you (State) are communicating or to what authority you are communicating with. You just take a decision.” The Court has provided the SSRB another chance to conclude Singh’s remission plea, warning that it might intervene if no decision is made.
The petition was filed by advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, and the hearing was closely followed by legal observers. The Supreme Court’s decision on the matter is awaited with great interest.
More Read
For live updates, follow the Supreme Court hearings on Dara Singh’s remission plea, involving Justices Manoj Misra and Vijay Bishnoi.
