Graham Staines murder case: Rejected convict Dara Singh’s remission plea, Odisha tells Supreme Court
The Odisha government has informed the Supreme Court that it rejected the remission plea of Dara Singh, who is serving a life sentence for the 1999 murder of missionary Graham Staines. The court has granted Singh's counsel two weeks to amend the petition.
Why it matters
Addresses significant legal precedents regarding the rights of long-term convicts and the state's role in judicial review of remission pleas.
The Odisha government on Thursday (September 17, 2026) told the Supreme Court that it has rejected a remission plea of Ravindra Pal alias Dara Singh, who is serving a life sentence for the murder of Australian missionary Graham Stuart Staines and his two minor sons in 1999.
“You take whatever grounds you want to take to challenge it. Amend your petition and then argue,” a Bench of Justices Manoj Misra and Vijay Bishnoi told the counsel appearing for Singh.
The Bench noted that a copy of the order rejecting the remission plea has been supplied to Singh’s counsel.
“The counsel representing the petitioner (Singh) prays for and is allowed two weeks to file an appropriate amendment application,” the Bench said, while posting the matter after three weeks. Hearing the matter earlier, the top court had pulled up the Odisha government for not taking a decision on Singh's remission plea.
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