Under the Odisha state premature release policy, prisoners whose death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment become eligible for remission after completing 25 years in prison, subject to recommendations by the Odisha State Sentence Review Board and approval by the state government. Dara Singh has now spent more than 26 years in prison.
The Supreme Court has expressed strong displeasure with the Odisha government for delaying a decision on the remission plea of Ravindra Pal alias Dara Singh, who is serving a life sentence for the 1999 murder of Australian missionary Graham Stuart Staines and his two sons. The court has directed the state to make a decision by September 17, warning of summoning officials if the delay persists. Singh, incarcerated for over 26 years, seeks premature release based on his time served and a 2022 state policy.
'Dara's case can strengthen the perception among sections of the BJP's traditional support base.'
