Staines triple murder case: SC gives Odisha ultimatum on Dara Singh's remission plea
The Supreme Court on Wednesday expressed strong displeasure over the Odisha government's failure to decide on the remission plea of Rabindra Kumar Pal alias Dara Singh, who is serving a life sentence in the 1999 murder of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two young sons. The court warned that it would take over the decision if the State continued to procrastinate.
Graham Staines had been working in Odisha for over 30 years, primarily with leprosy patients. His death and the killings of his children sparked nationwide outrage and condemnation from the international community. The trial and subsequent appeals were closely followed, with several human rights organisations monitoring the proceedings.
Staines and his sons, Philip and Timothy, aged 10 and 6, were burnt alive when a mob set fire to the vehicle they were sleeping in, outside a church in Odisha's Manoharpur village. The mob had prevented the trio from escaping the burning car.
Singh was arrested in January 2000 after a year-long manhunt. He was convicted and sentenced to death in 2003. The Orissa High Court commuted the sentence to life imprisonment in 2005, and the Supreme Court confirmed this in 2011.
In his remission petition filed in 2024, Singh stated that he has completed 26 years of imprisonment and is entitled to remission under the Odisha Remission Rules, which allow consideration after 25 years. He also expressed repentance, saying the crime was committed in a "fit of youthful rage."
A Bench led by Justice Manoj Misra criticised the State government's inaction. "If you do not decide, we will... We are not concerned how you are communicating. Just take a decision. We will not tolerate this avoiding taking a decision," the court told the State counsel.
The court noted that the matter had been adjourned earlier for the Sentence Review Board to make a decision. However, the State's counsel only presented a letter from prison authorities stating that certain essential documents were yet to be received. The court observed that it had not been informed of any decision by the Sentence Review Committee.
The Supreme Court gave the State one final opportunity and listed the matter for further hearing on September 2. The court made it clear that any further delay would result in the Supreme Court itself deciding the remission petition.
The Odisha Remission Rules provide guidelines for early release of convicts based on their conduct and the time served. Such decisions are typically taken by the Sentence Review Board, which evaluates petitions and makes recommendations. In this case, the Board's failure to act has prompted judicial intervention.
Legal experts note that remission petitions cannot be kept pending indefinitely, and the court's intervention may set a precedent for other cases. This case highlights the need for time-bound and transparent decision-making in the remission and sentence review process in India.
