The Supreme Court of India has instructed the Odisha government to resolve the remission request of Dara Singh by August 19. Singh, a member of the Bajrang Dal, is serving a life sentence for the murder of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two young sons in 1999. This case is formally cited as Rabindra Kumar Pal @ Dara Singh v. State of Odisha.
A bench comprising Justices Manoj Misra and Vijay Bishnoi noted the Odisha State Sentence Review Board’s delay in accessing necessary documents, which has impeded the review of Singh’s plea for early release. Consequently, the court adjourned the matter to August 19, expecting the Sentence Review Board to make a determination by then.
Singh was implicated in orchestrating a mob attack resulting in the deaths of Staines and his sons, who were asleep in their vehicle when it was set on fire. The Supreme Court’s decision to convict Singh highlighted the mob’s intention to “teach a lesson” to Staines regarding his religious conversions of indigenous tribes to Christianity.
In his request for remission, Singh, who has been imprisoned for over 24 years and is now over 60, argued that he is eligible for early release. His petition, filed by advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, expressed his remorse for past actions, which he claims occurred in a misguided attempt to ‘defend the nation’.
“The petitioner acknowledges deep regret for his actions, which took place over two decades ago,” the plea states. “In the fervor of youth and influenced by emotional responses to historical events, the petitioner’s judgment was impaired. Overwhelmed by the injustices faced by India, he engaged in regrettable actions under the guise of protecting the nation.”
Singh was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2007 and maintains he has never been granted parole. The Supreme Court’s directive now places the responsibility on the State to decide on his appeal for remission.
