RANSOM, CRIMINAL ACT
[In Hindi] For the last 30 years, Swami Shraddhananda
has been serving his sentence in prison.
Swami Shraddhananda buried his wife Shakereh
in her own house in Central Bangalore.
Shraddhananda claims he is not guilty and that he should now be released.
Will Shraddhananda become a danger to the society if he is let out?
That's all for this story.
But for everything else, stay tuned to Aaj Tak.
I am Shams Tahir Khan.
And for last twenty five years I have been reporting on crimes.
I have seen criminals being let off in much more heinous crimes than this.
In Shraddhananda's case,
given his good conduct and good behavior in jail for the last 28 years,
I won't be surprised if he is released.
But from the family's perspective,
the crime he has committed, he stands no chance for mercy.
CENTRAL JAIL, SAGAR
[in Hindi] This punishment that the supreme court gave me…
it is worse than capital punishment.
People think that getting life is everything.
This life is like a rotting vegetable.
I have to die here itself.
If they would have killed me that day, it would've been better.
Hasn't the Supreme Court left me here to die?
I cannot eat, drink, wear or even die by my own choice.
It would have been better if they had buried me in a box alive too.
I would be relieved if that happens.
I can't see myself dying every day.
For me, it is the same routine since 30 years.
Eat, drink, sleep and repeat.
Beyond that there is no new routine.
I am only waiting for death to come.
Where were you roaming all the time?
How many hunt you did today?
How much you eat?
She can eat anything. She kills snakes.
She kills every snake she sees.
Lie down here.
How are you?
You're a mischievous cat.
Here, lay down here.
Move your leg aside
and show me your tummy. Is there any baby in it?
No?
Isn't she good?
Tell me?
Are you Shakereh's ghost?
[in Hindi] After the murder, he buried the body in his courtyard…
and put a marble flooring on it.
He thought he was successful and no one knew about it.
He used to party with four-five people, danced and had fun.
His friends had no idea that beneath the floor
on which they were dancing Shakereh Khaleeli was buried.
That first, the story about this crime was given by this name,
There were thousands of fingernail marks on that coffin.
She tried knocking on the sides and the lid.
Wherever she could find some space…
Where she felt she could find the space for a hole, or a way out…
she kept scratching with her nails.
At one place she'd scratched so much that her finger could have come off.
She used her entire strength.
But she could not come out because she was totally trapped.
The evidence is clear.
He himself said that he added the pills, he shut her in the casket and buried her.
He never told me or anyone, that he found her dead at home.
He killed her, buried her, shut her in the casket
and then paved the place with slabs.
He planted a Tulsi plant at that place
and was pouring milk on it. Why?
[in Hindi] Is it Shakereh's voice?
Yes it is her voice!
Actually…
She…
[in Hindi] I am Zainul Abdin.
I work here.
Umm, I keep this place clean and take care of it.
This is a Shia cemetery,
in Bengaluru.
The famous Mirza Mohd. Ismail…
he is buried here. This is his grave.
This graveyard and everything is all because of Sir Mirza Ismail.
Here are their graves.
[in Hindi] What is this?
Oh, God! I can't even recognize this property.
Is this 81 Richmond Road?
How has it become?
Oh, a tree has grown here.
-The tree came out here only? -Yes.
It grew in the center.
Oh, God!