Bhubaneswar, July 14: The Supreme Court has directed the Odisha government to release Dara Singh, who is serving a life sentence for the 1999 murder of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two minor sons, before August 15, according to his advocate, A.P. Singh.

Addressing reporters, A.P. Singh claimed that the apex court has ordered the state government to ensure Dara Singh's release on or before Independence Day. The detailed order of the Supreme Court, however, has not yet been made public.

Dara Singh, whose real name is Rabindra Kumar Pal, is serving a life sentence after being convicted for his role in the killings of Graham Staines and his sons, Philip (10) and Timothy (6), in a case that drew widespread national and international attention.

The incident occurred on the night of January 21, 1999, in Manoharpur village of Odisha's Keonjhar district. Graham Staines and his two sons were sleeping inside their station wagon after attending a Christian gathering when a mob, allegedly led by Dara Singh, set the vehicle on fire. All three died after being burnt alive.

The murders sparked nationwide outrage and international condemnation. Following an investigation, Dara Singh was convicted as the principal conspirator in the case. A trial court initially sentenced him to death, but the Orissa High Court commuted the sentence to life imprisonment in 2005. The Supreme Court upheld the life sentence in 2011.

The reported direction for his release comes after Dara Singh has spent more than two decades in prison. An official response from the Odisha government on the reported development is still awaited, and the Supreme Court's detailed order is expected to provide further clarity on the circumstances of the directive.