HC grants bail to 44 in Staines case

CUTTACK, March 20 (PTI) — The Orissa High Court has granted bail to 44 of 51 persons arrested in connection with the brutal murder of Australian missionary Graham Stewart Staines and his two minor sons at Manoharpur in Keonjhar district on January 23.

Mr Justice P.K. Mishra, acting on a bail petition filed by Pura Munda and 50 others, yesterday ruled that they should be released on execution of personal release bond without any security and shall appear before the court of Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM), Anandpur, as and when directed by the investigating officer or by the SDJM.

Earlier, their bail application was rejected by the SDJM on the ground that the complete case record was not available.

The crime branch of the police had submitted a report indicating deficiency of evidence against the 44 accused.

The state government has already handed over the investigation of the case to the CBI.