French serial killer Charles Sobhraj, who is believed to have killed more than 20 western backpackers in the 1970s and 1980s has&nbsp;returned to France after spending nearly two decades behind bars in Nepal.

78-year-old Sobhraj arrived at Paris' &nbsp;Charles de Gaulle airport shortly after 7 am on Saturday. Upon arrival, he was escorted off the plane by border police for "identity checks".

Watch |&nbsp;WION Fineprint: Serial killer Charles Sobhraj arrives in Paris on commercial flight from Nepal

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-fineprint-serial-killer-charles-sobhraj-arrives-in-paris-on-commercial-flight-from-nepal-546362/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The Nepal Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the release of Sobhraj who has been nicknamed "the serpent" for his evasion skills, due to the serial killer's advanced age and health.

Sobhraj was held in a high-security Nepali prison since 2003. He was arrested on the charges of murdering Connie Jo Bronzich in 1975 and was also found guilty of killing the American backpacker's friend &nbsp;Laurent Carriere.

He is suspected of killing more than 20 western backpackers on a hippie trail through Asia. As per AFP, he would befriend his victims by posing as a gem trader.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/france-deports-serial-killer-charles-sobhraj-after-his-release-from-nepal-jail-546125">'The Serpent' returns: 'Bikini killer' Charles Sobhraj flown back to France after his release from Nepal jail</a>

Also known as the "bikini killer' he is suspected of killing six women in Thailand in the 1970s.

As per a Reuters report citing Sobhraj's lawyer Isabelle Coutant-Peyre, &nbsp;he will sue Nepal alleging "the whole case against him was fabricated".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/charles-sobhraj-the-bikini-killer-freed-from-nepali-prison-545816">Charles Sobhraj, the 'Bikini Killer', released from Nepali prison</a>

Sobhraj too claimed that he was innocent. Talking to AFP while on the flight from Nepal to France, he said "I feel great... I have a lot to do. I have to sue a lot of people. Including the state of Nepal."

"The courts in Nepal, from (the) district court to high court to supreme court, all the judges, they were biased against Charles Sobhraj," he said adding "I am innocent in those cases, OK? So I don't have to feel bad for that, or good. I am innocent. It was built on fake documents". 
&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

French serial killer Charles Sobhraj, who is believed to have killed more than 20 western backpackers in the 1970s and 1980s has returned to France after spending nearly two decades behind bars in Nepal.

French serial killer Charles Sobhraj, who is believed to have killed more than 20 western backpackers in the 1970s and 1980s has returned to France after spending nearly two decades behind bars in Nepal. 78-year-old Sobhraj arrived at Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport shortly after 7 am on Saturday. Upon arrival, he was escorted off the plane by border police for "identity checks". Watch | WION Fineprint: Serial killer Charles Sobhraj arrives in Paris on commercial flight from Nepal The Nepal Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the release of Sobhraj who has been nicknamed "the serpent" for his evasion skills, due to the serial killer's advanced age and health. Sobhraj was held in a high-security Nepali prison since 2003. He was arrested on the charges of murdering Connie Jo Bronzich in 1975 and was also found guilty of killing the American backpacker's friend Laurent Carriere. He is suspected of killing more than 20 western backpackers on a hippie trail through Asia. As per AFP, he would befriend his victims by posing as a gem trader. Also read | 'The Serpent' returns: 'Bikini killer' Charles Sobhraj flown back to France after his release from Nepal jail Also known as the "bikini killer' he is suspected of killing six women in Thailand in the 1970s. As per a Reuters report citing Sobhraj's lawyer Isabelle Coutant-Peyre, he will sue Nepal alleging "the whole case against him was fabricated". Also read | Charles Sobhraj, the 'Bikini Killer', released from Nepali prison Sobhraj too claimed that he was innocent. Talking to AFP while on the flight from Nepal to France, he said "I feel great... I have a lot to do. I have to sue a lot of people. Including the state of Nepal." "The courts in Nepal, from (the) district court to high court to supreme court, all the judges, they were biased against Charles Sobhraj," he said adding "I am innocent in those cases, OK? So I don't have to feel bad for that, or good. I am innocent. It was built on fake documents". (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'Bikini killer' Charles Sobhraj arrives in France, announces plan to sue Nepal over 'fabricated' cases

Notorious serial killer Charles Sobhraj, son of an Indian and Vietnamese couple, was deported to France on Friday after he was released from a prison in Nepal where he served his maximum sentence for committing a series of murders across Asia in the 1970s.&nbsp;The 78-year-old Sobhraj was released from Kathmandu’s Central Jail on Friday and taken away by the Department of Immigration in a police convoy, which was heavily guarded.

ALSO READ|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/charles-sobhraj-the-bikini-killer-freed-from-nepali-prison-545816">Charles Sobhraj, the 'Bikini Killer', released from Nepali prison</a>

Nepal’s immigration department and the French embassy worked in collaboration to prepare Sobhraj’s travel documents. One of the serial killer’s lawyers, Sudesh Subedi, said that Sobhraj’s daughter and mother are waiting for him in Paris.

Nepalese Ministry of Home Affairs’ joint secretary and spokesperson Fanindra Mani Pokharel said that Sobhraj will not be allowed to enter the country in the next 10 years.

"The home ministry has deported Charles Sobhraj, barring him from entering Nepal for the next 10 years," said Pokharel as quoted by The Kathmandu Post newspaper. Sobhraj boarded Qatar Airways flight QR647 to Doha from where he flew&nbsp;to Paris.

WATCH|&nbsp;WION Dispatch: Charles Sobhraj released from prison after 19 years on 'age grounds'

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-dispatch-charles-sobhraj-released-from-prison-after-19-years-on-age-grounds-546110/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Earlier, Sobhraj’s lawyer Gopal Shivakoti Chintan said that the serial killer was taken by authorities to Tribhuvan International Airport from where he was to be deported to France.

According to media reports, Sobhraj was willing to stay in Nepal and had requested admission to the Gangalal Hospital to receive treatment for a period of 10 days.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the prison management authority to free Charles Sobhraj and deport him to France in a period of 15 days through immigration unless the killer is wanted in any other case.

(With inputs from agencies)

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

Notorious serial killer Charles Sobhraj, son of an Indian and Vietnamese couple, was deported to France on Friday after he was released from a prison in Nepal where he served his maximum sentence for committing a series of murders across Asia in the 1970s.

Notorious serial killer Charles Sobhraj, son of an Indian and Vietnamese couple, was deported to France on Friday after he was released from a prison in Nepal where he served his maximum sentence for committing a series of murders across Asia in the 1970s. The 78-year-old Sobhraj was released from Kathmandu’s Central Jail on Friday and taken away by the Department of Immigration in a police convoy, which was heavily guarded. ALSO READ| Charles Sobhraj, the 'Bikini Killer', released from Nepali prison Nepal’s immigration department and the French embassy worked in collaboration to prepare Sobhraj’s travel documents. One of the serial killer’s lawyers, Sudesh Subedi, said that Sobhraj’s daughter and mother are waiting for him in Paris. Nepalese Ministry of Home Affairs’ joint secretary and spokesperson Fanindra Mani Pokharel said that Sobhraj will not be allowed to enter the country in the next 10 years. "The home ministry has deported Charles Sobhraj, barring him from entering Nepal for the next 10 years," said Pokharel as quoted by The Kathmandu Post newspaper. Sobhraj boarded Qatar Airways flight QR647 to Doha from where he flew to Paris. WATCH| WION Dispatch: Charles Sobhraj released from prison after 19 years on 'age grounds' Earlier, Sobhraj’s lawyer Gopal Shivakoti Chintan said that the serial killer was taken by authorities to Tribhuvan International Airport from where he was to be deported to France. According to media reports, Sobhraj was willing to stay in Nepal and had requested admission to the Gangalal Hospital to receive treatment for a period of 10 days. The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the prison management authority to free Charles Sobhraj and deport him to France in a period of 15 days through immigration unless the killer is wanted in any other case. (With inputs from agencies)

'The Serpent' returns: 'Bikini killer' Charles Sobhraj flown back to France after his release from Nepal jail

The Nepalese Supreme Court, on Wednesday (December 20), ordered the release of French serial killer and conman, Charles Sobhraj, who is serving his time in prison in Nepal after being convicted for the murder of two North American tourists in the country.&nbsp;According to the media reports, the court has ordered that the 78-year-old be released if there are no pending cases against him after which he has to be deported to France within 15 days. This comes after Sobhraj petitioned for an early release on health grounds for which reportedly even the French embassy had approached the Nepal government.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nepals-supreme-court-orders-release-of-french-serial-killer-charles-sobhraj-545240">Nepal’s Supreme Court orders release, deportation of French serial killer Charles Sobhraj</a> 
 
In a recent development, the convicted serial killer’s lawyer, Ram Bandhu Sharma, told Reuters that he would be freed on Thursday after nearly two decades in prison.&nbsp;

He is expected to walk out of the high-security prison in Nepal’s Kathmandu after 10 am (local time) after which he will reportedly be taken to the country’s immigration department for paperwork and will subsequently be sent to France in the coming days.&nbsp;

Troubled childhood

Born in April 1944 in French-occupied Saigon, Vietnam to an Indian trader&nbsp;and Vietnamese shop employee, Charles Sobhraj has been described as a conman, seducer, murderer, and thief, by his associates. According to reports, his parents were not married and his father never acknowledged Sobhraj as his son.&nbsp;

“Rejection by his father was an act which caused considerable resentment and bitterness in the young Sobhraj: ‘I will make you regret that you have missed your father's duty,’ he confided in his diary,” said an excerpt from an article by BBC in 2004.&nbsp;&nbsp;

He and his mother later moved to France where she later married a Frenchman, however, Sobhraj had never fit in with his new family and resented his father for his apparent abandonment. Since childhood, he had been in and out of several prisons in France for petty crimes.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nepal-pm-sher-bahadur-deuba-elected-leader-of-nepali-congress-parliamentary-party-545142">Nepal: PM Sher Bahadur Deuba elected leader of Nepali Congress Parliamentary party</a>

Murderer on the ‘hippie trail’

In the early 1970s, he began travelling the world and befriending and reportedly, robbing western tourists who were on the so-called “hippie trail” from Europe to Southeast Asia. He would allegedly spike people’s drinks and kill their accomplices who were usually women. In the 1970s and the 1980s, the police suspected he killed at least 15 to 20 people.&nbsp;

In the mid-1970s, Thailand issued a warrant for his arrest and accused him of drugging and killing at least six women who wore bikinis on a beach in Pattaya. Hence, earning himself the moniker of the “bikini killer”. However, he could not be convicted on those charges since he was imprisoned in India.&nbsp;

In an interview with AFP, last year, Nadine Gires, who Sobhraj had befriended when he moved into her building in Bangkok in 1975, said, “Many people were getting sick in his home…He was not only a swindler, a seducer, a robber of tourists, but an evil murderer.”&nbsp;

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/serial-killer-charles-sobhraj-to-be-freed-from-nepal-prison-after-19-years-545434">Serial killer Charles Sobhraj to be freed from Nepal prison after 19 years</a>

This comes after she had soon begun to fear that her fast-talking neighbour who she said masqueraded as a gemstone trader was allegedly drugging, robbing and killing people. Notably, multiple reports suggest, this was Sobhraj’s modus operandi, he would charm and befriend backpackers and after killing them would allegedly also use their passports to travel to his next destination.&nbsp;

Arrest in India

Another moniker he earned over time was “The Serpent”, as he was arrested multiple times, in several countries but was able to evade or bribe his way out or get preferential treatment in prisons. In 1976, Sobhraj was arrested in India, after he and his three accomplices allegedly convinced some French students to hire them as guides and subsequently gave them pills laced&nbsp;with poison.&nbsp;

He was later convicted and sentenced to overall 21 years in prison. However, toward the end of Sobhraj’s sentence, he escaped from the high-security Tihar jail after giving prison guards sweets spiked with drugs for his “birthday” in 1986. He was caught after some 20 days in the Indian state of Goa and returned to jail until 1997.&nbsp;After his sentence, Sobhraj was sent back to Paris.&nbsp;

Notably, a report by BBC citing critics&nbsp;alleges that he&nbsp;deliberately escaped towards the end of his 10-year sentence so that he could be re-captured and face additional charges to avoid extradition to Thailand.

How did he end up in Nepal?

In 2003, he resurfaced and was arrested in a casino in Nepal’s capital city, Kathmandu and was subsequently convicted for the murder of American backpacker Connie Jo Bronzich which he allegedly committed in 1975. According to reports, Bronzich’s body was found in a wheat field near the capital city, however, Sobhraj denied these allegations, while his lawyers said that the charge against him was based on an assumption.&nbsp;

Several years later, he was also convicted of killing Bronzich's Canadian friend, Laurent Carriere and has been in Kathmandu’s Central Jail since. In 2008, Sobhraj married Nihita Biswas, who is reportedly 44 years his junior and the daughter of his Nepalese lawyer. &nbsp;

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-dispatch-pm-sher-bahadur-deuba-elected-leader-of-nepali-congress-parliamentary-party-545228">WION Dispatch: PM Sher Bahadur Deuba elected leader of Nepali Congress Parliamentary party</a>

After serving 19 years out of his 20-year sentence, on Wednesday, the apex court of Nepal led by the bench of Justices Sapana Pradhan Malla and Til Prasad Shrestha, said that he should be released because of his age as well as health conditions. In 2017, Sobhraj also underwent open-heart surgery

“Keeping him in the prison continuously is not in line with the prisoner’s human rights,” said a copy of the verdict, seen by AFP. It added, “If there is not any other pending cases against him to keep him in the prison, this court orders his release by today and … the return to his country within 15 days.”&nbsp;

“The regulation on prison management envisions a waiver of up to 75 per cent of the jail term of the prisoners over 65 years of age and with good conduct,” reads the verdict as quoted by The Kathmandu Post. This was done citing&nbsp;provisions of Clause 12 (1) of the Senior Citizens Act 2063. According to a part of the&nbsp;clause that says&nbsp;senior citizens can get a waiver of a sentence not exceeding 75 per cent of those who have completed 75 years of age.&nbsp;

Sobhraj's story has arguably intrigued many, last year, BBC and Netflix jointly produced an eight-episode&nbsp;mini-series based on his life&nbsp;named after named his moniker' The Serpent'. This was in addition to at least three books written about his life including, "Life and Crimes of Charles Sobhraj" (1979), "On the Trail of the Serpent: The Epic Hunt for the Bikini Killer" (2021), and so on.&nbsp; 
 
(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

The Nepalese Supreme Court, on Wednesday (December 20), ordered the release of French serial killer and conman, Charles Sobhraj, who is serving his time in prison in Nepal after being convicted for the murder of two North American tourists in the country.

The Nepalese Supreme Court, on Wednesday (December 20), ordered the release of French serial killer and conman, Charles Sobhraj, who is serving his time in prison in Nepal after being convicted for the murder of two North American tourists in the country. According to the media reports, the court has ordered that the 78-year-old be released if there are no pending cases against him after which he has to be deported to France within 15 days. This comes after Sobhraj petitioned for an early release on health grounds for which reportedly even the French embassy had approached the Nepal government. ALSO READ | Nepal’s Supreme Court orders release, deportation of French serial killer Charles Sobhraj In a recent development, the convicted serial killer’s lawyer, Ram Bandhu Sharma, told Reuters that he would be freed on Thursday after nearly two decades in prison. He is expected to walk out of the high-security prison in Nepal’s Kathmandu after 10 am (local time) after which he will reportedly be taken to the country’s immigration department for paperwork and will subsequently be sent to France in the coming days. Troubled childhood Born in April 1944 in French-occupied Saigon, Vietnam to an Indian trader and Vietnamese shop employee, Charles Sobhraj has been described as a conman, seducer, murderer, and thief, by his associates. According to reports, his parents were not married and his father never acknowledged Sobhraj as his son. “Rejection by his father was an act which caused considerable resentment and bitterness in the young Sobhraj: ‘I will make you regret that you have missed your father's duty,’ he confided in his diary,” said an excerpt from an article by BBC in 2004. He and his mother later moved to France where she later married a Frenchman, however, Sobhraj had never fit in with his new family and resented his father for his apparent abandonment. Since childhood, he had been in and out of several prisons in France for petty crimes. ALSO READ | Nepal: PM Sher Bahadur Deuba elected leader of Nepali Congress Parliamentary party Murderer on the ‘hippie trail’ In the early 1970s, he began travelling the world and befriending and reportedly, robbing western tourists who were on the so-called “hippie trail” from Europe to Southeast Asia. He would allegedly spike people’s drinks and kill their accomplices who were usually women. In the 1970s and the 1980s, the police suspected he killed at least 15 to 20 people. In the mid-1970s, Thailand issued a warrant for his arrest and accused him of drugging and killing at least six women who wore bikinis on a beach in Pattaya. Hence, earning himself the moniker of the “bikini killer”. However, he could not be convicted on those charges since he was imprisoned in India. In an interview with AFP, last year, Nadine Gires, who Sobhraj had befriended when he moved into her building in Bangkok in 1975, said, “Many people were getting sick in his home…He was not only a swindler, a seducer, a robber of tourists, but an evil murderer.” ALSO WATCH | Serial killer Charles Sobhraj to be freed from Nepal prison after 19 years This comes after she had soon begun to fear that her fast-talking neighbour who she said masqueraded as a gemstone trader was allegedly drugging, robbing and killing people. Notably, multiple reports suggest, this was Sobhraj’s modus operandi, he would charm and befriend backpackers and after killing them would allegedly also use their passports to travel to his next destination. Arrest in India Another moniker he earned over time was “The Serpent”, as he was arrested multiple times, in several countries but was able to evade or bribe his way out or get preferential treatment in prisons. In 1976, Sobhraj was arrested in India, after he and his three accomplices allegedly convinced some French students to hire them as guides and subsequently gave them pills laced with poison. He was later convicted and sentenced to overall 21 years in prison. However, toward the end of Sobhraj’s sentence, he escaped from the high-security Tihar jail after giving prison guards sweets spiked with drugs for his “birthday” in 1986. He was caught after some 20 days in the Indian state of Goa and returned to jail until 1997. After his sentence, Sobhraj was sent back to Paris. Notably, a report by BBC citing critics alleges that he deliberately escaped towards the end of his 10-year sentence so that he could be re-captured and face additional charges to avoid extradition to Thailand. How did he end up in Nepal? In 2003, he resurfaced and was arrested in a casino in Nepal’s capital city, Kathmandu and was subsequently convicted for the murder of American backpacker Connie Jo Bronzich which he allegedly committed in 1975. According to reports, Bronzich’s body was found in a wheat field near the capital city, however, Sobhraj denied these allegations, while his lawyers said that the charge against him was based on an assumption. Several years later, he was also convicted of killing Bronzich's Canadian friend, Laurent Carriere and has been in Kathmandu’s Central Jail since. In 2008, Sobhraj married Nihita Biswas, who is reportedly 44 years his junior and the daughter of his Nepalese lawyer. ALSO WATCH | WION Dispatch: PM Sher Bahadur Deuba elected leader of Nepali Congress Parliamentary party After serving 19 years out of his 20-year sentence, on Wednesday, the apex court of Nepal led by the bench of Justices Sapana Pradhan Malla and Til Prasad Shrestha, said that he should be released because of his age as well as health conditions. In 2017, Sobhraj also underwent open-heart surgery “Keeping him in the prison continuously is not in line with the prisoner’s human rights,” said a copy of the verdict, seen by AFP. It added, “If there is not any other pending cases against him to keep him in the prison, this court orders his release by today and … the return to his country within 15 days.” “The regulation on prison management envisions a waiver of up to 75 per cent of the jail term of the prisoners over 65 years of age and with good conduct,” reads the verdict as quoted by The Kathmandu Post. This was done citing provisions of Clause 12 (1) of the Senior Citizens Act 2063. According to a part of the clause that says senior citizens can get a waiver of a sentence not exceeding 75 per cent of those who have completed 75 years of age. Sobhraj's story has arguably intrigued many, last year, BBC and Netflix jointly produced an eight-episode mini-series based on his life named after named his moniker' The Serpent'. This was in addition to at least three books written about his life including, "Life and Crimes of Charles Sobhraj" (1979), "On the Trail of the Serpent: The Epic Hunt for the Bikini Killer" (2021), and so on. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Explained: The life of Charles Sobhraj also known as the ‘Bikini Killer’ and ‘The Serpent’

The Nepalese Supreme Court, on Wednesday (December 20), ordered the release of a French national serial killer and conman, Charles Sobhraj, who is serving his time in prison in Nepal after being convicted for the murder of two North American tourists in the country.

Serial killer Charles Sobhraj to be freed from Nepal prison after 19 years