Nepal SC convicts Sobhraj in murder case; upholds life term

Shirish B Pradhan
Kathmandu, Jul 30 (PTI) Dealing a body blow to 'bikini
killer' Charles Sobhraj's freedom bid, Nepal's Supreme Court
Friday convicted the Indian-origin criminal in a sensational
murder case of an American tourist and upheld the life term
awarded to him by lower courts.
66-year-old Sobhraj, a French national whose father was
an Indian and mother a Vietnamese, was also found guilty by
the apex court of possessing a fake passport.
Rejecting the appeal of the international criminal in the
1975 murder case of US citizen Connie Jo Bronzich, a two-judge
bench of the apex court comprising Ram Kumar Prasad Shaha and
Gauri Dhakal upheld the verdicts of the Kathmandu district
court and Patan appellate court in the matter.
"Although there is no direct evidence, based on
circumstantial evidence, we don't see any fault in the
decision of the Kathmandu district court and the Patan
appellate court. Therefore, we uphold their verdicts," Justice
Shaha said.
Sobhraj was sentenced by the lower courts to a 20-year
life term for the murder of Bronzich and one year jail and Rs
2,000 fine in the fake passport case.
While delivering its judgement, Nepal's apex court took
into account Sobhraj's statement before an Indian court that
he had travelled to Nepal along with his girlfriend Mary. His
girlfriend had also spoke of his involvement in the murder of
Bronzich.
Reacting to the verdict, Sobhraj's lawyer Shakuntala
Thapa, who is also his mother-in-law, claimed that her client
was "denied" justice.
Sobhraj's wife Nihita Biswas also expressed her
dissatisfaction with the verdict and rejected all charges
against him as baseless.
Earlier on July 14, the apex court had said it needed two
more weeks to decide the matter. (More) PTI SBP
KAB


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