NEW DELHI: The Home Ministry has decided to deport Charles Gurmukh Sobhraj to France after the criminal cases pending against him before the Indian courts are disposed of, Home Ministry sources said here. ‘Sources said the Home Ministry was clear that this was the only option with them as Shobraj was a French national and did not have a passport or visa to enable him to stay here, “As far as we are concerned, his legal position is that of an alien,” a senior official said.
The official said Sobhraj would be deported after the judicial proceedings against him are disposed of. He, however, admitted that “a lot of complicated legal formalities” would need to be completed before that. Replying to the Indian Government’s queries earlier, the Thai Government had stated that they were “not interested in the extradition of Charles Sobhraj” as according to Thai laws, no one could be prosecuted 20 years after a crime.
The Home Ministry had sought a detailed report from Interpol whether Sobhraj was wanted for any heinous crime anywhere in the world, in its report submitted recently; Interpol maintained that Charles was not wanted by any law enforcement agency.
The decision to call for a detailed report was taken following reports that Sobhraj would be released on his depositing the surety amount when the Thai 20year limitation statute came in force in March this year, The decision was subsequently taken at a high level meeting convened by the Minister, S.B. Chavan,in April.
Home Ministry sources said of the eight cases registered against Sobhraj in India, he was convicted in only one in which he was sentenced for seven years. Seven other cases are pending in which he is eligible for bail subject to the deposit of sureties. The main case against him is the one pertaining to the sensational Tihar jailbreak in 1986 for which he had sought day today hearing.
Fifty one year old, Sobliraj gained notoriety when the bodies of six women, allegedly killed by him, were fished out on to Pattaya beach in That He had subsequently come to and was arrested from the lobby of Delhi Hotel in July, 1976, while at tempting to knock out 60 French tour its with sedatives. Since then he has, been lodged in Tihar jail serving out his seven year sentence, except for a brief escape to Goa.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 6, 1995
