New Delhi: A Delhi court on Wednesday sentenced former TV anchor and producer Suhaib Ilyasi to life imprisonment for killing his wife Anju more than 17 years ago, saying he "committed murder and gave it a colour of suicide".

The court ruled out that the case fell in the rarest of the rare category that would warrant the death penalty for the host of the show India's Most Wanted and said the ends of justice would be met if the convict was jailed for life.

"In the case in hand, it has been held that the convict, who was the husband of the deceased, committed her murder and gave it a colour of suicide," additional sessions judge S.K. Malhotra said.

The court imposed a fine of Rs 2 lakh on Ilyasi, who was convicted on December 16 for stabbing to death his wife, and also directed him to pay Rs 10 lakh as compensation to Anju's parents.

"Keeping in view the facts and circumstances of the case, I am of the opinion that the ends of justice would be sub-served if the convict is sentenced under Section 302 of the IPC to imprisonment for life and also to pay a fine of Rs 2 lakh...," the court said.

Ilyasi, 51, who was brought from Tihar jail, shouted that he was innocent and the sentence was an "injustice". His brother was also present in the courtroom.

Rukma Singh, Anju's mother, said: "I am satisfied with the verdict, as long as he is convicted I am fine." PTI