Suresh Chavhanke, editor-in-chief of Sudarshan TV, on Wednesday could not meet Dara Singh, who has been serving life sentence in three separate cases of murders, including that of Australian Christian missionary Graham Staines and his two minor children, after Keonjhar district jail authorities denied permission.
Following the denial, Mr. Chavhanke, who has been demanding the release of Dara Singh and was on a two-day visit to the State, sat on a protest outside the Keonjhar district jail. Locals joined him in the dharna, and a similar protest was held outside Odisha Bhawan, New Delhi, he said. Local Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Mohan Majhi too participated in the protest and extended support to Mr. Chavhanke’s demand.
“Dara Singh has been in jail for past 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,” said the Sudarshan TV editor-in-chief
