The Centre on Friday informed the Supreme Court that the plea of Swamy Shraddananda, jailed for over 30 years for the murder of his wife, has virtually sought a direction to the President to decide his mercy petition. A bench of Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih was hearing a petition filed by 84-year-old Shraddananda alias Murali Manohar Mishra seeking a direction to the authorities to decide his mercy plea filed before the President in December, 2023. Additional solicitor general K M Nataraj, appearing for the Centre, sought to get instructions on the plea and said, "However, the prayer is virtually seeking a direction to the President to do it. Whether such a prayer could be considered at all? Kindly see the prayer." Advocate Varun Thakur, appearing for Shraddananda, said the petitioner was in jail for over 30 years and was suffering from ailments. "You (Shraddananda) must thank this court that you were saved that time," the bench said and posted the hearing after tw