Bhubaneswar, July 10: The Supreme Court has sought the Odisha government’s response to a plea by Ravindra Pal alias Dara Singh, who is serving a life sentence for the 1999 murder of Australian missionary Graham Stuart Staines and his two minor sons in Odisha’s Keonjhar district.
Singh is now seeking premature release based on grounds of repentance and reform.
His petition highlights that he has been in prison for over 24 years and expresses remorse for his actions.
The court has given the state six weeks to file its response.
Singh’s plea emphasizes that he has never been released on parole and has already served more than 24 years of actual imprisonment without remission.
He urges the court to consider not only his actions but also the underlying intent.
