Dara remanded to police custody

Dara remanded to police custody
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

BARIPADA, FEBRUARY 8: Dara Singh, prime accused in the murder of Australian missionary Graham Stuart Staines, was on Tuesday remanded to police custody in connection with a looting case in Kendumundi weekly market in Mayurbhanj district.

The sub-divisional judicial magistrate (SDJM), Karanjia, Pramod Kumar Jena allowed a day's remand against Dara as against the seven days' remand plea by police in connection with the looting last year.

The SDJM ordered that the accused should be produced in his court on Wednesday when another case against Dara relating to the August 26 murder of a Muslim trader Shaikh Rehman in Padiabeda market in the same district would be taken up.

Dara, who was nabbed from Gohira forests in Keonjhar district on the night of January 31, was taken to the SDJM court from Baripada circle jail under tight security. A large number of people had assembled in the court premises to see the accused.

Dara and 35 others, including 15 absconders, had been chargesheeted in connection with thekilling of the Muslim trader.

One of Dara's associates Jagannath Munda, who had been arrested along with him, was relased on bail by SDJM.

Meanwhile the Orissa High Court, Cuttack, on Tuesday adjourned hearing on the State Government's plea for remanding Dara to 15 days' police custody in connection with the Padiabeda market murder case.

Justice C R Pal while adjourning the matter asked counsel Kiran Rout, who had appeared for Dara, to file `vakalatnama' by Wednesday.

The State Government had challenged the previous order of SDJM Karanjia, remanding Dara to judicial custody till Tuesday rejecting the prayer of state crime branch of police for 15 days' remand in police custody for interrogation.

The state government counsel, Surya Mishra, contended before the court that the SDJM had passed the order without taking into consideration different provisions of the law.