The Supreme Court has questioned the government for not releasing Charles Sobhraj, a French national serving a life sentence. A single session of Supreme Court Judge Anil Kumar Sinha on Thursday did a hearing of habeas corpus petition seeking reasons for not releasing him on Thursday. The habeas corpus is a fundamental right in the Constitution that protects against unlawful and indefinite imprisonment.
The government has been asked to submit a reply within three days through the office of the Attorney General if there is any reason why Sobhraj should not be released from jail. Sobhraj had filed a habeas corpus writ on Wednesday demanding his release saying he had already served his sentence.
The Supreme Court's order says, "What has happened in this case? Why should the order as per the demand of the petitioner not be issued? A written reply should be sent to the office of the Attorney General within 3 (three) days from the date of receipt of the order, including the reasons and reasons for non-issuance of the order. Submit as per rules after the expiry of the period."
Sobhraj, a French national known as a Bikini Killer, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Supreme Court for killing two foreign nationals in Nepal. The Prisons Regulations, 2020, provide for 75 percent exemption for citizens who have reached the age of 70 and have a record of good conduct. Sobhraj has claimed that he has reached the age of 77 years and should get the facility. Sobhraj's repeated petitions were rejected.
Apart from Nepal, Sobhraj has been accused of killing more than 20 people in India, Thailand, Iran, Turkey, and other countries. He is nicknamed 'Bikini Killer' and 'Serial Killer'.
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