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Witnesses fail to identify Dara Singh, aides

Three prosecution witnesses in a criminal case pertaining to stealing of cattle, involving Dara Singh and three of his associates, failed to identify them before the sub-divisional judicial magistrate, Karanjia.

Dara Singh is the prime accused in the murder of Australian missionary Graham Staines in Orissa, in eastern India.

On Wednesday, Dara and the others were produced in the SDJM's court in connection with a case in which they were accused of having forcibly taken away cattle being transported in a truck, at Bhainabeda village under Thakurmunda police station on June 28, 1996.

Since the local lawyers were boycotting the courts from Wednesday in protest against the detention of Dara's counsel, Pradip Choudhury, under the National Security Act on Tuesday, the SDJM asked the accused if they wanted to examine the witnesses.

All the four, including Dara, declined.

When the three prosecution witnesses - Shaikh Mantu, owner of the truck, Shaikh Ahmed, driver of the vehicle and Gora Khan, the helper -were asked if the accused were present when the crime took place, they replied in the negative.

The trial would continue for another two days.

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