India, May 31 -- Dara Singh alias Rabindra Kumar Pal, who has been in jail for the last 24 years over his conviction in the murder of Australian missionary Graham Stewart Staines and his two minor sons, may have to spend more time behind bars with the Odisha government deferring a decision on his release.

The state sentence review board which met on May 17 in Bhubaneswar to decide on the premature release of life convicts as per the guidelines issued by the state government in 2022, deferred its decision on his release despite recommendation by the authorities in Keonjhar prison, where he is lodged, as well as the district authorities.

"The Board does not feel proper to recommend the release and suggested deferment of the case to call f...