Authorities are verifying Nihita’s past. “She came to me with an elderly lady who said she was a lawyer and social activist, and wanted no hindrance in her meeting with Sobhraj.” Nihita’s mother has apparently gone on record approving the ‘relationship’. “But the report we got from the jail were different. They might still meet, but indecent acts like kissing in the public gaze are not allowed. Nor do we have the practice of allowing an under trial to come out of the jail and marry,” a senior government official said. Nihita was not available for comment.

Sobhraj was arrested in Nepal about three years ago and is being tried for the murder of Connie Jo Bronzich, an American national , way back in 1975 in Kathmandu. The Supreme court has asked the government to produce evidences that he checked into two hotes — Hotel Soaltee and Hotel Malla — at the same time in 1975. “But no date has been fixed yet for the next hearing,” said Bhandary.