New Delhi [India], September 17 (ANI): On Thursday, the Supreme Court allowed Rabindra Kumar Pal, also known as Dara Singh, two weeks to appeal against the Odisha government’s denial of his request for premature release from life imprisonment in the case of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two minor sons, murdered in 1999.

A bench consisting of Justices Manoj Misra and Vijay Bishnoi was informed that the State Sentence Review Board had turned down Singh’s request after evaluating the details of the case, including the severity of the crime.

This matter has been scheduled for review in three weeks.

Having been in custody for nearly 27 years, Singh has served over 26 years of his life sentence.

The Odisha government’s decision was made by the State Sentence Review Board during a special meeting held on August 31, 2026, following a directive from the Supreme Court on August 19 that instructed the State to make a decision regarding his plea for early release.

Records from the Board indicate that Singh’s requests had previously been denied on five occasions: November 24, 2016; June 24, 2019; December 24, 2020; January 12, 2022; and February 20, 2023.

The rejections were based on various factors, including concerns about potential societal impacts and communal unrest in the region.

In March 2025, the Keonjhar district authorities had recommended that Singh could be considered for early release under certain conditions to promote social harmony.

However, a subsequent report submitted by the same authorities on August 28, 2026, was taken into account by the Board prior to their decision.

This report noted that approximately 200-250 members of the Dara Sena had gathered outside the District Jail in Keonjhar on August 15 in connection with Singh’s anticipated release, and it mentioned that provocative slogans were allegedly shouted during the event.

The Board observed that the latest report did not include specific recommendations concerning Singh’s early release and was ultimately inconclusive.

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

Consequently, the Board declined to recommend Singh’s premature release at this time.

“In view of all the above mentioned facts & circumstances, the Board is therefore not inclined to recommend his premature release at this stage,” it stated.

This latest development follows prior criticism from the Supreme Court directed at Odisha authorities regarding delays in addressing Singh’s plea.

During a previous session, the bench had warned that it would summon the State Chief Secretary or relevant officials if a decision was not reached within the specified timeframe.

“You decide, otherwise we will summon the Secretary or whoever is the authority,” the Court had remarked.

Following the State’s presentation of its decision to the bench, Singh’s attorney was granted two weeks to contest the rejection.