SC Gives Dara Singh Two Weeks to Challenge Odisha Rejection of Premature Release Plea in Graham Staines Murder Case

September 17, 2026

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday granted two weeks to murder convict Rabindra Kumar Pal alias Dara Singh to challenge the Odisha government’s decision rejecting his plea for premature release from life imprisonment in the 1999 murder of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two minor sons.

A bench of Justices Manoj Misra and Vijay Bishnoi was informed that the State Sentence Review Board had rejected Pal’s plea after considering the facts and circumstances of the case, including the gravity of the offence. The matter has been posted for hearing after three weeks.

Odisha Board Rejects Premature Release Plea

Pal has been in custody for nearly 27 years and has served more than 26 years of his life sentence.

The Odisha government’s latest decision was taken by the State Sentence Review Board at a special meeting on August 31, 2026, following the Supreme Court’s August 19 order directing the state to take a decision on his premature release plea.

The Board’s proceedings show that Pal’s plea had earlier been rejected on five occasions — November 24, 2016; June 24, 2019; December 24, 2020; January 12, 2022; and February 20, 2023.

The earlier rejections were based on various grounds, including apprehensions about possible societal ramifications and communal disturbance in the area. The Board also considered a recommendation made by Keonjhar district authorities in March 2025, which had stated that Pal could be considered for premature release subject to certain conditions aimed at maintaining social harmony.

Board Considered August Report on Gathering Outside Jail

However, the district authorities submitted another report on August 28, 2026, which was considered before the Board took its latest decision.

According to the report, a congregation of around 200-250 people associated with Dara Sena had gathered outside the District Jail in Keonjhar on August 15 in connection with Pal’s proposed release. The report stated that provocative slogans were allegedly raised during the gathering.

The Board noted that the latest report did not contain any specific recommendation regarding Pal’s premature release and was inconclusive.

“However, the report lacks specific recommendations and is inconclusive,” the Board recorded.

It ultimately declined to recommend his premature release at this stage.

SC Had Earlier Pulled Up Odisha Over Delay

The development comes after the Supreme Court had questioned Odisha authorities over the delay in deciding Pal’s plea.

At the previous hearing, the bench had warned that it could summon the State Chief Secretary or the appropriate authority if the decision was not taken within the time granted by the Court.

The Court had directed Odisha to inform it of the decision taken pursuant to its August 19 order. On Thursday, after the state placed its decision before the bench, Pal’s lawyer was given two weeks to challenge the rejection.

The Supreme Court had earlier upheld Pal’s conviction in the Staines murder case. Its judgment records the case as involving the killing of Australian Christian missionary Graham Stuart Staines and his two minor sons, Philip and Timothy.