Cloistered in Kathmandu's Central Jail is Charles Sobhraj, allegedly one of the 20th century's most notorious serial killers. And yet he has never been convicted of murder. After 28 years, Sobhraj resurfaced in Nepal, the scene of some of his alleged homicides, and police promptly charged him.
'The charges are rubbish,' says Sobhraj. 'I am a busy man with my own film production company in Paris. I came here to make a TV documentary on local handicrafts and also to see if I can do some humanitarian work here to help children.'
Every day a queue of journalists, criminal researchers and the curious line up seeking an attendance with Sobhraj - if he so wishes. They wait for hours, together with wardens carrying British-made first world war firearms, and the odd chicken or goat that may wander into the prison.
Nicknamed 'the serpent' for his skill in slipping through the clutches of police, and his alleged predilection for venomous cocktails of lethal drugs used to overcome his victims, Sobhraj once told biographer Richard Neville in 1979: 'As long as I can talk to people, I can manipulate them.' Some writers who have followed the case credit the infamous French national and legendary charmer with 32 killings.
Meeting the serpent in the flesh, one expects a man with a sinister aura, exuding a devil's charm that equates with the tales of deadly seduction. But the man who appears in the visiting room looks more like an old vagabond surviving on monthly welfare checks.
At 59, Sobhraj has lost the handsome appeal that reputedly ensnared scores of women. His age is etched on bony, sunken features and the haggard face is wrinkled like dried fruit. A hole in his tattered hat reveals a balding pate and his shabby coat is too large for him despite his tall frame.