Staines murder case: Chronology

Bhubaneswar, Jan 21 (PTI) With the Supreme Court todayupholding the life term awarded by Orissa High Court to DaraSingh, convicted for murder of Australian missionary GrahamStaines and his two minor sons, one of the most sensitivecases of the previous century came to an end after 12 years.

Following is the chronology of events.

January 22, 1999: Staines and his two minor sonsPhilip and Timothy burnt to death by a crowd while asleep intheir station wagon at Manoharpur village in Keonjhar districtof Orissa.

January 29, 1999: Government of India issuesnotification under Section 3 of Commission of Inquiry Act,1952 setting up a Judicial Commission of inquiry to be headedby Justice D P Wadhwa, Judge of the Supreme Court.

March 25, 1999: Notification of January 29, 1999 wasamended by another notification and the time for submission ofreport by the Commission was extended to five months from twomonths.

March 26, 1999: Proceedings of the Commission begins.

March 1999: Case handed over to the CBI from the stateCrime Branch of Police.

June 21, 1999: Wadhwa Commission of inquiry submitsits report holding Dara Singh guilty of the crime.

June 22, 1999: CBI submits chargesheet against 18persons in the case.

January, 31, 2000: Dara Singh arrested in a forest inMayurbhanj district.

September 4, 2000: Charges framed against the accusedpersons.

March 1, 2001: Trial in the case begins in thedistrict and sessions court, Khurda designated CBI court.

Feb 1, 2002: Mahendra Hembram, an accused says in thecourt that he is the culprit and others are innocent.

April 5, 2003: Accused Dayanidhi Patra says in courtthat he was present when Dara set fire to the vehicle.

August 18, 2003: Trial ends.

September 15, 2003: Court convicts Dara Singh and 12others. Acquits Aniruddha Dandapat alias Andha Nayak forinsufficient evidence.

September 22, 2003: Court awards death sentence toDara Singh and life imprisonment to 12 others.

May 19, 2005: Orissa High Court sets aside deathsentence to Dara Singh and commutes it to life imprisonment.

HC, however, retains life imprisonment awarded to MahendraHembram, another accused, while acquitting 11 others.

Jan 21, 2011: The Supreme Court upholds lifeimprisonment for Dara Singh by the Orissa High Court and hisaccomplice Mahender Hembram.