Archive · 17 Sep 2026
Odisha Review Board Rejects Dara Singh’s Premature Release Plea
Dara Singh is serving a life sentence for killing missionary Graham Staines and his two sons in 1999.
He asked to be released from prison early.
The Odisha State Sentence Review Board considered his request again after the Supreme Court told it to decide.
The Board refused to recommend his release for now.
It remembered that similar requests had been rejected several times before.
Officials in Kendujhar had earlier supported release under conditions to protect social harmony.
Later, officials reported that a large group gathered outside the jail and used provocative slogans.
The Supreme Court had criticized the delay and ordered a decision before its next hearing.
The Odisha State Sentence Review Board rejected Ravindra Kumar Pal alias Dara Singh’s latest plea for premature release.
The decision followed a Supreme Court direction to reconsider his remission plea before the next hearing.
The Board cited previous rejections and concerns that his release could trigger communal tensions.
Kendujhar authorities had conditionally recommended release, but later reported a gathering of 200-250 Dara Sena supporters and provocative slogans.
Dara Singh has spent more than 26 years in prison for the 1999 murders of missionary Graham Staines and his two sons.
- Who
- Ravindra Kumar Pal, also known as Dara Singh, the Odisha State Sentence Review Board, the Supreme Court, and Kendujhar district authorities.
- What
- The Odisha State Sentence Review Board rejected Dara Singh’s plea for premature release.
- When
- The Board met on August 31; the Supreme Court issued directions on August 19 and September 8, with the next hearing set for September 17.
- Where
- The decision concerned Dara Singh’s detention at Kendujhar District Jail in Odisha and his conviction for crimes in Manoharpur village, Kendujhar district.
- Why
- The Board cited previous rejections, concerns about possible communal tensions, and a reported gathering involving provocative slogans, while noting that the report was inconclusive.
Arguments Supporting Release
Reasons for Continued Detention
Conditional release recommendation
Arguments Supporting Release
Kendujhar district authorities recommended in March 2025 that Dara Singh could be released early under conditions intended to maintain social harmony.
Reasons for Continued Detention
The State Sentence Review Board said it was not inclined to recommend release at this stage after considering the full circumstances.
Public-order concerns
Arguments Supporting Release
The district recommendation indicated that conditions could be imposed to manage social harmony after release.
Reasons for Continued Detention
The Board cited earlier concerns that release could trigger communal tensions and noted a reported gathering of 200-250 Dara Sena-associated people outside the jail, where provocative slogans were allegedly raised.
Supreme Court scrutiny
Arguments Supporting Release
The Supreme Court directed the state to reconsider the plea and criticized the delay in making a decision.
Reasons for Continued Detention
The Board ultimately rejected the plea despite the Supreme Court’s direction, while complying with the instruction to reconsider it before the next hearing.
- Convict
- Ravindra Kumar Pal alias Dara Singh
- Current prison
- Kendujhar District Jail
- Sentence
- Life imprisonment
- Underlying crime
- The 1999 killing of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two minor sons
- Time in prison
- More than 26 years
- Latest decision
- The Odisha State Sentence Review Board declined to recommend premature release
- Previous court rulings
- The Orissa High Court commuted a death sentence to life imprisonment in 2005; the Supreme Court upheld the life sentence in 2011