Sudarshan TV editor-in-chief Suresh Chavhanke was denied permission to meet Dara Singh who is convicted of murdering Australian Christian missionary Graham Staines and his two minor sons in 1999.
Singh, a Bajrang Dal worker and a former member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is currently serving life sentence at the Keonjhar district jail. Chavhanke has been demanding the release of Singh stating that no one is imprisoned for more than 20 years.
On Wednesday, as he was denied permission by the jail authorities. Chavhanke, as a response, sat on a protest outside the jail against the decision.
Local BJP MLA Mohan Majhi also joined him along with many locals.
“Dara Singh has been in jail for last 21 years. There is hardly anyone who is imprisoned for more than 20 years in the country. I was in constant touch with Dara Singh and had sent a mail to the Odisha government seeking permission 15 days ago. I was given the impression that I would be permitted to meet him. But, when I landed in Keonjhar, I was not allowed to see him,” Chavhanke said adding further that if no action is taken then he will take the matter to the Supreme Court of India.
According to the jail authorities, they had made it clear that apart from Singh’s lawyers and family members no one is allowed to visit him.
Graham Staines murder:
On January 22, 1999, Australian Christian missionary Graham Staines and his two minor sons – Philip (aged 10) and Timothy (aged 6) – were sleeping in their jeep at Manoharpur village in Keonjhar district, Orissa when they were set ablaze by Dara Singh and his associates.
According to Dara Singh, Staines was involved in the forceful conversion of Hindus into Christianity. In 2003, a trial court sentenced Dara Singh to death. However the death sentenced was converted to life imprisonment by the Orissa High Court.
