SC warns Odisha over delay in Dara Singh remission plea

The Supreme Court on Tuesday pulled up the Odisha government for its continued delay in deciding the remission plea of Dara Singh, convicted in the 1999 killing of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two young sons. The court warned that it would summon state officials if a decision was not reached within 10 days.

A bench of Justices Manoj Misra and Vijay Bishnoi, hearing Singh's petition, expressed strong displeasure over the prolonged deferment. "You cannot avoid taking a decision. You have to decide one way or the other. For two years, you have been delaying the decision," the bench observed, adding that it would otherwise summon the concerned Secretary.

The court noted that its August 19 order had already directed the state to take a call on the plea. When the state's counsel sought a four-week adjournment, the bench refused, pointing out that a decision had been pending for over two years. "Last time also, you sought time. Convey your decision... Why are you unnecessarily seeking an adjournment? You can't keep this lingering like this," it said.

Singh, whose legal name is Rabindra Kumar Pal, was sentenced to death in 2003 for the murder of Staines and his sons, aged six and ten, who were burnt alive in their vehicle. The Orissa High Court commuted the sentence to life imprisonment in 2005, which the Supreme Court upheld in 2011.

In 2024, Singh sought premature release under Odisha's 2022 policy, citing his age, conduct, and remorse. His plea has been rejected by five Sentence Review Boards, most recently in February 2024. He is also serving life sentences in two other cases from 2007.

The court posted the matter for hearing on September 17 and directed the state to communicate its decision by then. The Odisha Advocate General is expected to be present at the next hearing.