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Lifer for 13-yr-old Chenchu in Staines case

The Central Bureau of Investigation designated court has sentenced 13-year-old Sudhansu Hansda alias Chenchu to life imprisonment for the murder of Australian missionary Graham Stuart Staines and his two sons.

Chenchu was an accused in the Staines murder case.

Prime accused Dara Singh is in the Baripada jail in Mayurbhanj district, Orissa.

The case of Chenchu, being a juvenile, was separated from the others accused, in the Staines murder case.

The sentence for Chenchu is widely seen as a boost for those sympathetic to Staines's wife Gladys, who lives in Baripada.

Gladys was not available for comment.

Last Saturday, special CBI designated court Additional Session Judge Sukumar Sahoo sentenced Chenchu to 14 years rigorous imprisonment in the murder case.

The court found Chenchu guilty of killing Staines and his sons Philip and Timothy on the night of January 22 1999 at Manoharpur village, Keonjhar district, along with others.

Chenchu was the only minor involved in the killing of Staines.

Chenchu was arrested by a special task force few months after the Staines were burnt to death. Chenchu was said to be influenced by Dara Singh to participate in the killing of Staines.

Sources close to the Dara Sena, a political outfit fighting the case of Dara Singh, said they may approach the apex court.

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