Kathmandu June 4:

The Supreme Court today directed the Office of Government Attorney and the police to explain why they did not produce original guest registration cards maintained by two hotels in which Charles Sobhraj had stayed in 1975.

Government authorities have been claiming that Sobhraj stayed in Hotel Malla and Hotel Soaltee and committed crimes, including the murder of American national Connie Jo Bronzich and Canadian national Laurent Armond Carriere, in 1975.

A division bench of justices Min Bahadur Rayamajhi and Kalyan Shrestha issued the order following today’s hearing.

Sobhraj’s counsel accused the government of producing fake documents and misleading the court.

Last year, the court had ordered authorities of the two hotels to produce guest registration cards they had maintained in 1975. Responding to the order, the hotels had said they did not keep old records.

The SC has been considering Sobhraj’s appeal against lower courts’ decision to convict him of Bronzich and Carriere. It has also been considering the government’s appeal against acquittal of Sobhraj in a fake passport case.