Jan 22, 1999: Australian missionary Graham Stuart Staines and his two minor sons Philip and Timothy burnt to death by a crowd while asleep in their station wagon at Manoharpur village in Keonjhar district of Orissa.
Jan 29, 1999: The government of India issues a notification under Section 3 of the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952 setting up a judicial commission of inquiry to be headed by Justice D P Wadhwa, a judge of the Supreme Court.
Mar 25, 1999: Notification of January 29, 1999 was amended and the time for submission of report by the Commission was extended to five months from two.
Mar 26, 1999: Proceedings of the commission begins.
Mar 1999: Case handed over to the CBI from the state police (crime branch).
June 21, 1999: Wadhwa Commission of inquiry submits its report holding Dara Singh guilty of the crime.
June 22, 1999: CBI submits charge sheet against 18 persons.
Jan 31, 2000: Dara Singh arrested in a forest in Mayurbhanj district.
Sept 4, 2000: Charges framed against the accused.
Mar 1, 2001: Trial in the case begins in the district and sessions court (Khurda), designated a CBI court.
Feb 1, 2002: Mahendra Hembram, an accused, says in court that he is the culprit and others are innocent.
Apr 5, 2003: Accused Dayanidhi Patra says in court that he was present when Dara set fire to the vehicle.
Aug 18, 2003: Trial ends.
Sept 15, 2003: Court convicts Dara Singh and 12 others but acquits Anirudha Dandapat alias Andha Nayak for lack of evidence.
Sept 22, 2003: Court awards death sentence to Dara Singh and life imprisonment to 12 others.
© 2024 Rediff.com -