Supreme Court asks Odisha to review Dara Singh's remission plea

The Supreme Court of India has requested the Odisha government to review a remission plea from Ravindra Pal, also known as Dara Singh. Singh is serving a life sentence for the murder of Australian missionary Graham Stuart Staines and his two sons in 1999. The court set a six-week deadline for the state to make its decision. Singh has expressed remorse for his past actions and has been imprisoned for over 24 years. He claims to have reflected on the consequences of his crime, which he describes as a moment of youthful rage. In his appeal, Singh asked for mercy, promising to contribute to society through service. He noted that he has never been granted parole and was unable to attend his mother's last rites due to his imprisonment. Singh's legal team argues that the authorities have not properly considered his request for early release, despite guidelines established in 2022. His defense highlights that he has already served more than the required minimum term under these new guidelines. His crimes occurred when Singh and a mob attacked Staines and his children while they slept in their car, setting it on fire. Singh was initially sentenced to death, but his sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment. Gladys Staines, the wife of the murdered missionary, has expressed forgiveness towards Singh and the other attackers, saying she holds no resentment against them.