New Delhi: A Delhi court on Monday convicted three Ananda Margais and an advocate for conspiring and murdering former railways minister Lalit Narayan Mishra who was killed in a blast in Bihar’s Samastipur station along with two others in 1975.

The court held Santoshananda Avadhuta, 75, Sudevananda Avadhuta, 79, Gopalji, 73, and 66-year-old advocate Ranjan Dwivedi guilty.

Dwivedi was on bail and has been practising in different courts in the national capital.

Ananda Marga group claims to be a global, spiritual and social service organisation. The organisation was banned for less than two years after Mishra’s assassination.

The court has fixed December 15 to announce the quantum of sentence.

On January 2, 1975, the blast had occurred leading to late Mishra’s death on the next day and also left 25 injured including his brother, Jagannath Mishra who later became the Chief Minister of Bihar.

However, the verdict has made the former railway minister’s son Vijay Mishra unhappy. He says that he is convinced that all the four accused were innocent. He wants fresh enquiry into the matter.

Justice delayed, not denied

Jan. 2, 1975: Lalit Narayan Mishra gets injured in a bomb blast at a function at Samastipur Railway Station, Bihar.

Jan. 3, 1975: Mishra succumbs to injuries.

Jan. 7, 1975: CBI registers case on Supreme Court order.

Nov. 1, 1977: CBI files chargesheet before a Patna court.

Dec. 17, 1979: Case shifted to Delhi on Supreme Court’s order as first case in country to have been transferred outside state.

Oct. 12, 2011: SC expresses shock and surprise and seeks status report from Centre.

Aug. 17, 2012: Supreme Court denies to quash case proceedings on the ground of 37 years delay.

Sep. 12, 2012: Final arguments begins in Delhi court in the case.

Sep. 14, 2012: CBI tells Delhi court that Ananda Margis were behind the murder

Dec 8, 2014: Court convicts Santoshananda, Sudevananda, Gopalji and advocate Ranjan Dwivedi for the murder of Mishra and two others.