Friday, May 20 2005 19:44 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: A Court today (May 20, 2005) convicted Swami Shraddhananda for murdering his wife Shakereh, capping a trial in the sensational case that lasted more than a decade.

Shraddhananda alias Murli Manohar Mishra had spent 11 years in jail as an undertrial. He showed no emotions today as the in-charge Judge of the 23rd additional city civil and sessions court B S Thotad convicted him.

The Judge said he would pronounce the sentence tomorrow (May 21, 2005).

Asked why capital punishment should not be given to him, Shraddhananda said he is more than 60-year-old, is suffering from illnesses and cardiac problems and has an aged father in Madhya Pradesh to take care of.

Special Public Prosecutor strongly argued for awarding capital punishment to him, while Shraddhananda's counsel submitted that a life sentence would serve the purpose.

Shraddhananda was the second husband of Shakereh, who was the grand daughter of the former 'Diwan' of Mysore, Mirza Ismail, and ex-wife of Akbar Khaleeli, former Indian High Commissioner to Australia.

Shraddhananda was charged with burying alive his wife in early 1990s. Police had later exhumed her body from the premises of the couple's residence in Bangalore.