Political factionalism is the reason for delay in release of Sobhraj : Nihita Biswas

French serial killer Charles Sobhraj was released from the Central Jail of Nepal on Friday. Nepal Supreme Court ordered his release on health and age grounds. He has been in jail since 2003 on charges of murdering 2 American tourists.

Law professionals have said that the release of ‘serial killer’ Charles Sobraj has been delayed.

With the verdict of the Supreme Court, preparations are being made to send Sobraj to France. He is handed over to the Immigration Department on Friday.

“We are trying to send him back to his family in France by evening for security reasons. After heart surgery, he had some issues. He might need another surgery. Health and family are priorities for him now,” said Nihita Biswas, the wife and a lawyer, accompanying Sobhraj as an advocate.

She also said that due to political factionalism, his release was delayed for five years. She said, “Due to the media, the court was under a lot of pressure for decision making. This process should have been completed a year earlier. This process was prolonged due to administrative delay and the tussle of the government and political parties. The process was delayed because the political parties tried to evict only their own people, she said.

Biswas, a lawyer, said that the court decided to release Sobraj after it saw he will die of heart disease inside the jail.

The Immigration Department will send Sobharaj to France in a way that he cannot return to Nepal again. Biswas who reached the immigration department, said that preparations are being made to send Sobraj to France tonight.