Himal Press 
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KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court has ordered the release of notorious serial killer Charles Shobhraj on health grounds.
A division bench of Justices Sapana Pradhan Malla and Til Prasad Shrestha issued the order, hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by Shobhraj.
The bench also directed the government to return Shobhraj to his country within 15 days.
In the petition, he demanded that he get the facilities provided by the law having served 19 years of imprisonment and being an old man.
The apex court’s order comes about a year after it issued a showcause notice to the government why Sobhraj should not be released after spending 18 years in prison.
“The writ petitioner is currently 78 years old and needs to undergo open heart surgery. Rule 29 (2A) of the Prison Regulations, 2020 provides that sentence of prisoners, who have reached the age of 65 years, can be reduced on the basis of good behavior, or the sentence of prisoners who are bedridden can be reduced by up to 75%. The facility can also be provided to foreigners,” the order reads.
Sobhraj was convicted in 2003 on the charge of murdering two North American tourists – Connie Jo Boronzich (29) of the US and his Canadian girlfriend Laurent Carriere (26) – in the 1970s.
