The Supreme Court of India has instructed the Odisha government to decide within six weeks on the petition filed by Dara Singh, who has spent over 25 years in prison for his role in the brutal murder of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two young sons in 1999.
The court issued the direction after Dara Singh requested release, claiming he had served enough time for his crime.
He also referenced the release of other high-profile prisoners, such as those involved in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
On September 1, 1999, Dara Singh led a mob that set fire to a vehicle with Graham Staines and his two sons inside while they were sleeping.
The attack, which occurred in Keonjhar district, Odisha, led to the tragic deaths of Staines, who ran a leprosy care center, and his two sons, Philip and Timothy.
This shocking incident caused national outrage and resulted in Dara Singh’s conviction, along with 12 others, in 2003.
Initially sentenced to death, the Odisha High Court later commuted Dara Singh’s sentence to life imprisonment.
Dara Singh, now 52, argues in his petition that he has already served over 25 years in prison and should therefore be considered for release.
His lawyer, Vishnu Jain, emphasized that under Odisha’s commutation rules, prisoners who have served 25 years without parole are eligible for release consideration.
The petition referenced the recent case of AG Perarivalan, one of the convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, who the court granted release after serving a similar duration.
Jain also stated that Dara Singh had no personal enmity with Graham Staines and expressed remorse for his actions, claiming to have repented for the crime committed two decades ago.
The Supreme Court has given the Odisha government six weeks to make a decision regarding Dara Singh’s release petition.
This outcome could set a precedent for other long-serving prisoners seeking release on similar grounds.
Some argue that releasing Dara Singh would send the wrong message about the severity of such heinous crimes, while others believe that granting release after long imprisonment, especially when he shows remorse, aligns with India’s justice system.
The controversial case of Dara Singh is now under review by the Supreme Court and the Odisha government.
As the country awaits the decision, the case continues to raise questions about balancing justice, rehabilitation, and the long-term consequences of heinous crimes.
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