Auckland , April 04, 2007
Kanta Patel

NRI Auckland taxi driver, Bhikubhai Patel, 50 has admitted in court that he tried to take out a contract on the life of a priest Sunil Shandra he believed was his wife's lover. He found guilty of attempting to procure the murder and jailed for five years.

In 2004, Bhikubhai hired a private investigator to follow and report everything about his wife and the Hindu priest. Later on, Patel gave a $1,500 contract the potential hit-man to kill Sunil Sharda. But hit man was a police informant, who later went to police when he realized Patel was serious.

The High Court found that Patel had a history of violence towards his family. The court also found that there was no sexual relationship and the only contact the pair had was coffee together twice.

The defense Lawyer claimed that Patel did not intend to have anyone killed and was set up.