Supreme Court Refuses To Entertain Life Convict Swami Shraddhanand's Plea For Expeditious Decision On Mercy Petition

The Supreme Court today refused to entertain a plea for expeditious decision on the mercy petition filed by Swami Shraddhanand, the 87-yr-old self-styled godman who has been in jail since 31 years following conviction for the murder of his wife Shakereh Khaleeli (granddaughter of Dewan of Mysore, Sir Mirza Ismail).

A bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi dismissed the case as withdrawn, after hearing Advocate Varun Thakur. Notably, Justice Maheshwari wondered why 6 adjournments were given in the case and expressed that it would have been dismissed on the first date itself had it come before his bench.

Thakur pleaded before the Court that Shraddhanand is extremely sick and has been in jail since 31 years without a single day of parole. However, the bench was not convinced and pointed to the orders passed in the past dismissing the self-styled godman's pleas for review, etc.

These included - a review petition filed seeking reconsideration of the judgment which imposed life sentence (without remission) upon Shraddhanand, (ii) a writ petition (2014) seeking parole and stay of Amazon Prime docuseries 'Dancing on the Grave' (pertaining to Khaleeli's murder), which was not entertained and ultimately withdrawn, and (iii) another writ petition seeking parole which was dismissed in September, 2024.

Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj apprised on behalf of the Union that State being the prosecuting authority has to give its opinion and the same is awaited by the Union. "They give a response, immediately we will [process] it", he said.

Looking at the bench's disinclination, Thakur lamented that Shraddhanand has undergone 30 years without parole only based on one incident (the murder of his wife), whereas persons accused of assassinating a former Prime Minister have gone free (Ref: Rajiv Gandhi assassination case).

Ultimately, the counsel withdrew the case, with liberty to approach the state authority. The bench however simply dismissed the case as withdrawn, without giving any liberty as prayed for. "We are unable to understand why 6 adjournments have been given in this case. Don't know why this was pending here. If this had came before us, first day only we would have dismissed", said Justice Maheshwari.

Background

After ending her first marriage of 21 years, Shakereh Khaleeli got married to Shraddhanand in the year 1986. Sometime between April-May, 1994, she disappeared. In June, one of her daughters from the first marriage filed a missing persons complaint in Bangalore.

After 3 years, in 1994, the police found Khaleeli buried in her Bangalore house. Investigation revealed that she was drugged and buried alive by Shraddhanand, after she executed a general power of attorney and will in his favor.

Shraddhanand was arrested in 1994. In 2000, he was convicted by a Karnataka court and sentenced to death. The Karnataka High Court upheld the death sentence in 2005.

Initially when Shraddhanand appealed to the Supreme Court, a split verdict came to be delivered in 2007. The matter was referred to a larger bench and the same led to commuting of his death sentence in 2008 to a sentence of imprisonment until death.

Case Title: SWAMY SHRADDANANDA @ MURALI MANOHAR MISHRA v. UNION OF INDIA, W.P.(Crl.) No. 5/2025