Odisha SSRB rejects Dara Singh's release plea again amid SC scrutiny
Synopsis
Six rejections, 26 years in jail, and now a Supreme Court deadline of September 17 — the Odisha SSRB has again refused to recommend Dara Singh's premature release, pointing to a provocative Dara Sena gathering outside Kendujhar jail on Independence Day as a fresh public order concern. The apex court's next move could be decisive.
Key Takeaways
The Odisha SSRB rejected Dara Singh's premature release plea on 31 August 2026 , its sixth such rejection since 2016.
The special meeting was chaired by Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Hemant Sharma in compliance with a Supreme Court direction dated 19 August 2026 .
Around 200–250 members of Dara Sena gathered outside Kendujhar District Jail on 15 August 2026 , reportedly raising provocative slogans.
The Supreme Court pulled up the Odisha government on 8 September 2026 and set a deadline for decision before 17 September 2026 .
Dara Singh has been imprisoned for over 26 years for leading the 1999 mob killing of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two sons.
The Odisha State Sentence Review Board (SSRB) has once again refused to recommend the premature release of life convict Ravindra Kumar Pal alias Dara Singh, who has been imprisoned for over 26 years for the 1999 murder of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two minor sons — even as the matter remains under active consideration by the Supreme Court. The decision was communicated on 15 September 2026, following a special board meeting held on 31 August 2026.
The SSRB Special Meeting
The board convened the special meeting at the direction of the Supreme Court, which on 19 August had ordered the SSRB to reconsider Singh's remission plea. The session was chaired by Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Hemant Sharma. Singh is currently lodged in Kendujhar District Jail in Odisha.
After deliberations, the board catalogued a series of earlier rejections of Singh's premature release requests — on 24 November 2016, 24 June 2019, 24 December 2020, 12 January 2022, and 20 February 2023. A recurring concern across those decisions has been that Singh's release could trigger communal tensions in the region.
District Report and Dara Sena Gathering
The SSRB noted that district authorities in Kendujhar had, in March 2025, given a conditional recommendation allowing premature release subject to conditions aimed at maintaining social harmony. However, a subsequent district report — Letter No. 2364 dated 28 August 2026 — flagged a significant development: approximately 200 to 250 persons associated with Dara Sena had gathered in front of Kendujhar District Jail on 15 August 2026, reportedly raising provocative slogans in connection with the proposed release.
The SSRB noted that this report contained no specific recommendation and was described as inconclusive. Nevertheless, the gathering weighed on the board's assessment of public order risks.
'In view of all the facts and circumstances, the Board is therefore not inclined to recommend his premature release at this stage,' the SSRB said in its official communication.
Supreme Court's Warning to Odisha
The Supreme Court had, on 8 September 2026, pulled up the Odisha government over delays in deciding Singh's remission plea. The apex court directed the SSRB to arrive at a decision before the next hearing, scheduled for 17 September 2026, and warned that it could summon the competent state official if the matter remained unresolved. The SSRB's latest rejection now places the ball squarely back before the Supreme Court ahead of that hearing.
Background: The 1999 Manoharpur Killings
Singh was convicted for leading the mob that burned Graham Staines and his two young sons alive inside their station wagon at Manoharpur village in Odisha's Keonjhar district in January 1999. The attack drew international outrage and became one of the most condemned acts of communal violence in post-independence India.
A trial court initially sentenced Singh to death, but the Orissa High Court commuted the sentence to life imprisonment in 2005, ruling that the case did not meet the threshold of the 'rarest of rare' category. The Supreme Court upheld the life sentence in 2011. With the SSRB's fresh refusal, Singh's legal team will likely press his case before the apex court at the 17 September hearing.
Point of View
It risks being seen as evading a judicial mandate rather than exercising considered discretion. The Supreme Court's increasingly sharp language suggests patience is running out. The 17 September hearing will test whether the apex court treats the latest rejection as a bona fide decision or as continued foot-dragging — and whether it is prepared to intervene more directly in the remission process.
NationPress
15 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has the Odisha SSRB rejected Dara Singh's premature release again?
The SSRB rejected the plea primarily due to concerns about communal tension, citing a gathering of 200–250 Dara Sena supporters outside Kendujhar District Jail on 15 August 2026 and a history of six earlier rejections on similar grounds. The board stated it was 'not inclined to recommend his premature release at this stage.'
Who is Dara Singh and what was he convicted for?
Dara Singh, legally known as Ravindra Kumar Pal, was convicted for leading the mob that burned Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two minor sons alive inside their station wagon at Manoharpur village in Odisha's Keonjhar district in January 1999. He has been in prison for over 26 years and is currently held at Kendujhar District Jail.
What has the Supreme Court said about the Dara Singh remission case?
The Supreme Court on 19 August 2026 directed the SSRB to reconsider Singh's remission plea, and on 8 September 2026 pulled up the Odisha government for delays, warning it could summon the competent state official. The next hearing is scheduled for 17 September 2026.
How many times has the SSRB rejected Dara Singh's release plea?
The SSRB has rejected Singh's premature release plea at least six times — on 24 November 2016, 24 June 2019, 24 December 2020, 12 January 2022, 20 February 2023, and now in August 2026. The consistent reason has been apprehension of communal unrest.
What was the original sentence awarded to Dara Singh?
A trial court sentenced Dara Singh to death for his role in the 1999 Manoharpur killings. The Orissa High Court commuted the sentence to life imprisonment in 2005, ruling the case did not qualify as the 'rarest of rare,' and the Supreme Court upheld the life sentence in 2011.
