Staines triple murder case: SC gives ultimatum to Odisha on Dara Singh’s remission plea
The Supreme Court of India has issued a final warning to the Odisha government to decide on the remission plea of Dara Singh, who is serving a life sentence for the 1999 murder of missionary Graham Staines and his sons. The court expressed frustration over the state's repeated delays in processing the application despite Singh having served over 25 years in prison.
Why it matters
This case highlights the judicial oversight of executive powers regarding prisoner remission and addresses long-standing legal accountability for a high-profile hate crime in India.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday (August 19, 2018) criticised the Odisha government for delaying a decision on the remission plea filed by Rabindra Kumar Pal alias Dara Singh, who is serving a life sentence in the triple murder of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two young sons in January 1999.
Staines and his sons, aged six and 10, were sleeping in their vehicle parked outside a church when a mob reached the spot and set fire to the car. The mob prevented the father and sons from getting out of the burning vehicle.
A Bench headed by Justice Manoj Misra cautioned the State government that procrastination would only lead to the Supreme Court taking over and deciding the life convict’s remission petition.
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