Europe 1 with AFP 4:13 p.m., December 23, 2022

The serial killer Charles Sobhraj who inspired the series "The Serpent" was released on Friday to be directly repatriated to France.

On his plane back, the man continues to claim his innocence and assures us that he is "well".

"When I entered prison, I had done nothing," he said.

French serial killer Charles Sobhraj, linked to at least twenty murders in Asia in the 1970s and who inspired the Netflix series "The Serpent", was released Friday from his Nepalese prison and immediately transferred to France where he is expected on Saturday morning.

On the plane, Charles Sobhraj, 78, spoke with the AFP journalist to whom he said he was "innocent".

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 Serial killer Charles Sobhraj released from prison in Nepal, transferred to France on Friday

"I'm doing well"

"I'm fine. I have a lot to do. I have to sue many people, including in Nepal," he said in this exclusive interview with AFP.

Asked if he had been wrongly portrayed as a serial killer, he exclaimed, "yes! yes!"

"When I entered prison, I had done nothing," he said.

"I'm innocent in all these cases, ok? So I don't have to feel bad or good about it. I'm innocent. It's all been built on false documents."

"The judge, without questioning any witness (...) and without allowing the accused to present any argument, wrote the verdict," he added.

The plane in which he took place with the AFP journalist is expected in Paris, via Doha, on Saturday morning.

Sobhraj imprisoned since 2003

Nepal's Supreme Court, which ruled on his release on Wednesday, said Charles Sobhraj needed open-heart surgery and the move was in line with a Nepalese law allowing the release of bedridden prisoners who have already served three-quarters of their pain.

She ordered that the serial killer, imprisoned in this Himalayan republic since 2003 for the murder of two North American tourists, be deported within 15 days to France.

Framed by police wearing Charles Sobhraj bulletproof vests, wearing a medical mask, a brown hat and a blue coat, the serial killer had made no comment to the crowd of journalists waiting for him on his release from prison. .

"The government of Nepal wants to send him back as soon as possible. Sobhraj wants it too," said his lawyer Gopal Shiwakoti Chintan, who said he had taken a ticket for him on Qatar Airways, leaving at 6:00 p.m. (12:15 GMT).

The serial killer was originally scheduled to be released on Thursday but his release was delayed by a day due to logistical and legal issues.