Author Farrukh Dhondy takes on Sobhraj

Tuesday, November 18, 2008 at 5:11 am

London-based author and screenplay writer Farrukh Dhondy has lashed out at jailed serial Killer Charles Sobhraj for trying to extort money from him. Dhondy has made the accusation in response to a threat from Sobhraj who has claimed that he will be suing the author for writing a novel inspired by Sobhraj’s life.

Sobhraj’s threat came barely 48 hrs after Dhondy released his novel Bikini Murders in New Delhi. Dismissing Dhondy’s reported statements, Sobhraj had claimed that Dhondy was just a middleman trying to make money by introducing Sobhraj to filmmakers.

However, Dhondy completely denied the claim and said, “In 1997 I was an executive in a TV channel in London and Sobharj visited me in my office. He came there saying that his cousin had put him onto me and wanted me to publish a book of his memoirs. I thought I can help him publish it and maybe he can do something on TV. Sobhraj came all the way from Paris to meet me. I got him a literary agent after which I met him several times. However, that does not mean that he told me very much about his life..

“To say that a fictional character resembles a real person means that you have to study that real person. I don’t think I have studied Mr Sobhraj very closely. I don’t know about is life except for reading it from newspapers and I never believe what I read there. Some newspaper said that I met him once in jail but I have never been to a jail”, he added.

Harper Collins, the publisher of Farookh Dhondy’s book ’The Bikini Murders’ has also said that the book is in no way based on the life of Sobhraj. Karthika V K, publisher and chief editor, Harper Collins said, ” The book is not based on the life of Charles Sobhraj, we very strongly refute that the book is in anyway based on the life or any events related to Charles Sobhraj. The book essentially for the first time brings to India the story of a serial killer and a pschopath.”

She also added, ” If Charles believes that the book is based on his life then is he even confessing to all the crimes which are potrayed by the character in the book? If he files a case against us, we will also seek legal remedy.”

Celebrity criminal Charles Gurmukh Sobhraj is dreaming to make millions from ‘The Bikini Murders’, a novel reportedly inspired from his life, by suing the London-based author and screenplay writer, Farrukh Dhondy. “My French and British lawyers are reading the book which was launched in Delhi by Harper Collins to decide how to file a libel case,” 65-year-old Sobhraj said.

Sobhraj, who is serving life imprisonment for murdering an American tourist in 1975 in Kathmandu Central Jail since 2004, told a jail staff that he will make millions by dragging Dhondy to court for writing a book on his life without taking permission from him.

The criminal mastermind, who has “married” a Nepali beauty, seems to be upset as he has been portrayed as a ‘Bikini killer’ targeting western women. The book also portrays Sobhraj confessing the crime, which the criminal claims as false.

However, a senior jail official said they have not yet been informed about any such move by Sobhraj. “So far, there is no such information,” the officer said on condition of anonymity. “Sobhraj may be playing propaganda to get media attention as his next hearing is approaching soon,” he said.

The Supreme Court has fixed December 8 as another date for hearing on Sobhrajs murder case. It is not so easy for a person confined in the jail to file a case in a foreign country, said Supreme Court lawyer Dinesh Tripathi. “It may be a publicity stunt by Sobhraj to get attention of the public as his hearing is coming closer,” Tripathi said.

Sobhrajs “marriage” to 19-year-old Nihita Bishwas was splashed in the media, with many seeing the relationship as a stunt to gain sympathy of the Nepalese people. The “Bikini Killer” was arrested from Royale Casino in the capital five years ago and sentenced to lifer by Kathmandu District Court for murdering an American backpacker 35 years ago.

Later, he appealed at the Patan Appellate Court claiming that he was innocent in the case. However, after the Appellate Court endorsed the district courts verdict he moved the Supreme Court as the last resort to seek freedom.

(With inputs from agencies)

( This post is from an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by APakistanNews.Com.)

Author Farrukh Dhondy takes on Sobhraj

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