No Relief for Swami Shraddhananda: SC Refuses To Interfere In Mercy Plea of 87-Yr-Old Convict in Shakereh Khaleeli Murder

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a petition seeking directions for an expeditious decision on the mercy plea of 87-year-old Swami Shraddhananda, who has spent more than 30 years in prison after being convicted for the murder of his wife, Shakereh Khaleeli.

Khaleeli, a prominent Bengaluru socialite, was the granddaughter of Sir Mirza Ismail, the former Dewan of Mysore.

The Bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi declined to intervene, observing that the matter did not warrant the Court’s interference under Article 32.

The petitioner had urged the Court to direct the government to decide Shraddhanand’s long-pending mercy petition, citing advanced age, serious health concerns, and prolonged incarceration.

Shraddhanand, also known as Murali Manohar Mishra, is serving a life sentence without remission for the 1991 murder of Khaleeli. The case remains one of Karnataka’s most sensational murder trials. Khaleeli was drugged, buried alive in the courtyard of her own home and her remains were discovered years later during investigation. The brutality of the crime led the Karnataka High Court to confirm the death sentence, which was later modified by the Supreme Court in 2008 to imprisonment for the rest of his natural life without remission.

Before the Bench, Advocate Varun Thakur for the petitioner argued that keeping the mercy petition pending indefinitely amounted to a violation of fundamental rights, especially given the convict’s age and medical condition.

The plea stated that Shraddhanand has already served a period far beyond the standard life term and that a decision on his mercy petition has been delayed without justification.

In July, the Apex Court had expressed concern over the brutality of the offence. “Look at the case, what about the lady you murdered and buried in her own house?” CJI BR Gavai had remarked, referring to the crime that shook public conscience and led to Shraddananda's death sentence in 2005, later commuted by the Supreme Court in 2008.

Notably, on May 13, the CJI had remarked, "Serious case, serious allegations. List after vacations.” On January 24, the Supreme Court had sought the Central Government's response on the mercy plea. On January 24, the Supreme Court had sought the Central Government's response on the mercy plea.

Earlier, in September 2024, the Supreme Court had issued notice in the review petition filed by Swami Shraddhanand who is currently undergoing life imprisonment for the murder of his wife Shakereh Khaleeli.

In April 2023, the Supreme Court had denied parole to Swami Shraddhanand while allowing him to withdraw his writ petition which was in fact filed 10 years ago. The Court had then further clarified that the dismissal of the writ petition would not prejudice other remedies open to the self-styled godman. Shraddhanand had also filed an application last year seeking to stop circulation of web series Dancing On The Grave, which released on Amazon Prime video, submitting that it prejudiced his case pending before the Supreme Court.

In 1991, Shraddhanand had murdered Shakereh Khaleeli by drugging her and burying her alive in their own backyard. Her remains were discovered in 1994 and Swamy Shraddhanand was arrested for the crime. A Trial Court in Bengaluru convicted him for the murder and sentenced him to death in 2000. The Trial Court verdict was upheld by the Karnataka High Court in 2005. In an appeal, the Supreme Court, his conviction was upheld but his death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment by a 2008 judgment.

Case Title: Swamy Shraddananda@ Murali Manohar Mishra v. UOI

Hearing Date: December 5, 2025

Bench: Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi

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