SC expunges controversial paras in ruling on Staines'' killings

New Delhi, Jan 25 (PTI) The Supreme Court todayexpunged two controversial sentences in its ruling on thekillings of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his twominor sons, which had upheld the life imprisonment for BajrangDal activist Dara Singh and his accomplice.

Expunging the second last sentence of paragraph 43 ofthe 76-page ruling, a bench of Justices P Sathasivam and B SChauhan replaced it by saying, "After 12 years, the lifeimprisonment given by the high court, need not be interferedwith."

The bench replaced the second sentence by saying, "Itis undisputed that there is no justification for interferingin someone''s belief by any means."

The original sentences, which were expunged, hadalluded to the religious activities of Staines in Manoharpurarea in Orissa and his conversion activities leading toprovocation.

The court expunged these two sentences as they wereseen to be liable to misinterpretation.