Police bring out Dara Singh, the main accused in the Graham Stewart Staines murder case, from the court in Bhubaneswar in this September 2003 file photo. Facing death sentence for the gruesome killing of the Australian missionary and his children, Dara Singh received a major reprieve when the Orissa High Court commuted the capital punishment to life sentence.

The court also acquitted 11 other convicts--who had all been awarded life imprisonment--in the case which had sparked a worldwide outrage six years ago. Neither Dara, now lodged in the circle jail at Baripada where he is facing trial in connection with three other murder cases, nor the other convicts were present in the court when the verdict was announced. His lawyer, Asit Otta, later said he will approach the Supreme Court seeking his acquittal.