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Once not many years ago, no prison walls or bars were strong enough to hold him, no country too big to contain him
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And with a footprint large enough to encompass continents at will
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And so the legend grew; a legend that held the world in terror and awe – Charles Sobhraj, master criminal, super conman and ruthless killer
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Despite eluding the law for decades, he met his nemesis in an Indian police officer, who successfully captured him not once but twice
With over three decades of service in the police force, Zende became a household name after his daring arrest of Sobhraj, also known as ‘The Serpent’ for his ability to slip through legal systems across the world.
The master criminal was wanted in several countries for a string of robberies, fraud, and serial murders.
Based on the Inspector’s real-life exploits and how he outwitted Sobhraj twice, Netflix’s upcoming film ‘Inspector Zende’, starring Manoj Bajpayee, brings the story of a real-life hero to the screen.
Written and directed by Chinmay Mandlekar, the film traces the life is based of Madhukar Zende, the Mumbai police officer known for capturing the notorious criminal Charles Sobhraj twice.
The first arrest at Taj Hotel
In a recent interview with the YouTube channel Awaara Musafir, Zende recounted his first encounter with Sobhraj, who had arrived in Mumbai in 1971.
Accordinding to Inspector Zende, Sobhraj had booked himself into the Taj Hotel, while his associates stayed in other hotels across the city.
For days Zende and his men kept the criminal under surveillance outside the Taj for days.
Their patience paid off and Sobhraj was finally spotted and quickly arrested. They found he was carrying a weapon and hotel receipts that led police to the other members of the gang and a stash of arms, whuch included rifles and ammunition.
“This immediately gave us the indication that he was planning something big,” said Zende. Worried he might escape again, Zende had two of his officers sit on Sobhraj during the drive back to Mumbai.
A cop-turned celebrity
Zende’s brave actions earned him national recognition. He met figures like Rajiv Gandhi and film legend Dilip Kumar, and was even featured in an Amul ad. Singer Lata Mangeshkar invited him home to congratulate him.
The Inspector’s career was full of such moments. He once rescued a constable from a knife attack by five men and put criminals like Haji Mastan and Karim Lala behind bars.
Interestingly, it was Zende’s kind nature that led to Sobhraj’s first arrest, as a reformed felon tipped him off after Sobhraj recruited him for a planned robbery.
More about Zende
Zende worked undercover in Gujarat, too, after a bomb was thrown at senior officer Julio Ribeiro. He posed as an ordinary civilian and worked quietly for a month. He later concluded that the Bombay underworld hadn’t made inroads there.
Although Zende never asked for rewards, he did receive Rs 15,000 for capturing Sobhraj, which he accepted humbly.
Reflecting on Sobhraj, Zende once remarked that he (Sobhraj) couldn’t be considered particularly intelligent.
“He isn’t a particularly intelligent person if he keeps getting caught again and again.
With ‘Inspector Zende’ on Netflix, viewers will get a chance to see this real-life tale come alive.
Sobhraj’s second capture in Goa
Despite the arrest, Sobhraj later escaped from jail, famously drugging officers at Delhi’s Tihar Jail with sweets on his birthday and simply walking out.
When Zende got word of Sobhraj’s escape, he was sent to Goa with a small team and a modest budget. There, they tracked Sobhraj by pretending to search for a missing brother who owned a motorbike, the same one Sobhraj was believed to be using.
Eventually, they found him at a cafe, disguised in a cap and carrying a duffel bag.
Aware that Sobhraj was armed and could recognise him, Zende acted swiftly. “I grabbed him and shouted, ‘Charles!’ My colleague seized his bag and took out the revolver. But we had no handcuffs, so we asked the cafe staff for ropes and tied him up.”
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Pravasi Samwad. Pravasi Samwad is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented.
