Bhubaneswar, Sept. 15 (UDN): The Odisha State Sentence Review Board has rejected the premature release plea of Dara Singh, who is serving a life sentence for the 1999 killing of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two minor sons.
The decision comes just days before the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the matter on September 17.
Singh, now 67, has spent more than 26 years and six months in prison. His case became eligible for consideration under Odisha’s 2022 remission policy, following which he sought relief from the state authorities.
Board Cites Possible Social Impact
The Sentence Review Board considered Singh’s case during a special meeting held on August 31.
While examining the plea, the board expressed concerns that his release could have wider social repercussions and potentially affect communal harmony.
A report submitted by the Keonjhar district administration, where Singh is currently lodged, was also taken into account.
The report stated that around 200 to 250 people associated with Dara Sena had gathered outside Keonjhar District Jail on August 15 and allegedly raised provocative slogans.
The board noted that the latest district administration report did not contain a specific recommendation on Singh’s release and considered its assessment inconclusive. Despite this, the board ultimately recommended against his premature release.
Remission Pleas Rejected Repeatedly
This is not the first time Singh’s plea for remission has been rejected. His requests were turned down in 2016, 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2023, with concerns relating to communal harmony cited among the reasons.
The Keonjhar administration had recommended his release in March 2025, subject to conditions intended to safeguard social peace. However, the Sentence Review Board deferred the matter in May that year, citing his convictions in three murder cases and seeking further reports.
The case was deferred again in September 2025, when the board sought an opinion from authorities in Auraiya, Uttar Pradesh, Singh’s native district. The Auraiya administration subsequently supported his premature release in February 2026.
Supreme Court Had Sought Decision
Singh had approached the Supreme Court in 2024, seeking directions to the Odisha government to consider his release under the applicable remission guidelines.
In July 2024, the apex court took note of his prolonged incarceration and observed that his premature release deserved consideration.
The Supreme Court later directed the state to take a definitive decision. On August 19, it ordered the Sentence Review Board to decide the matter by September 2 and indicated that officials could be summoned if the issue remained unresolved.
With the board now rejecting the plea, the decision is expected to come under the scrutiny of the Supreme Court during the upcoming hearing.
Multiple Murder Convictions
A CBI court sentenced Singh to death in 2003 after finding him guilty in the Staines killings, along with offences including criminal conspiracy and rioting.
The Orissa High Court in 2005 acquitted 11 other accused and commuted Singh’s death sentence to life imprisonment. His subsequent appeal was dismissed by the Supreme Court.
Singh was separately convicted in the killings of Catholic priest Father Arul Doss and trader SK Rahman in Mayurbhanj. He received life sentences in both cases in 2007, and his appeals were later dismissed by the High Court.
Another convict in the Staines case, Mahendra Hembram, was granted premature release in April 2025.
Although prison records have reportedly described Singh’s conduct as generally good, his remission pleas have repeatedly been unsuccessful. He has also not been granted parole or furlough. His two parole applications were rejected by the High Court and the Keonjhar district magistrate.
The latest rejection now sets the stage for the Supreme Court’s consideration of Singh’s plea on September 17.
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