India's Coal Minister Shibu Soren has been found guilty of conspiracy in the abduction and murder of a former aide 12 years ago.
He resigned hours before he was arrested Tuesday.
The court also convicted four other men for their involvement in the abduction and murder of Soren's former secretary, Shashi Nath Jha.
Soren can either be given life imprisonment or a death sentence. His fate will be decided on Thursday.
Soren has been embroiled in several criminal cases. He also resigned as coal minister in 2004 after a court ordered his arrest in connection with a 1975 mob killing of 11 people. But he was released on bail and reappointed as coal minister earlier this year.