The notorious tale of French serial killer Charles Sobhraj, famously depicted in the BBC and Netflix drama The Serpent, is widely known. However, a more recent Netflix film shines a light on a different hero in the story: an Indian police officer who successfully apprehended Sobhraj not just once, but twice.
The film, Inspector Zende, stars renowned Bollywood actor Manoj Bajpayee in the lead role as the determined policeman, with Jim Sarbh portraying Sobhraj, here reimagined as Carl Bhojraj. The narrative spans three intense weeks in 1986, chronicling the thrilling cat-and-mouse chase between the officer and the elusive criminal.
A Daring Escape and a Renewed Pursuit
The story picks up on March 16, 1986, when Sobhraj, who was serving a 12-year sentence in Delhi’s Tihar jail since 1976 for the murder of a French tourist, orchestrated a daring escape. He managed to drug the prison staff and nearly all the inmates by falsely claiming it was his birthday, before making his getaway.
Just a few days later, Sobhraj resurfaced in Mumbai. Inspector Madhukar Zende was promptly brought onto the case, as he had previously arrested Sobhraj back in 1971. This second encounter with the notorious killer cemented Zende’s place in the annals of Indian law enforcement.
The film’s release has brought Inspector Zende himself back into the spotlight in India. Now 88 years old and retired, he even makes a cameo appearance in the film as the “OG” or original Inspector Zende. He recounted to the BBC that while he had apprehended numerous hardened criminals and underworld figures throughout his career, it was the pursuit of Sobhraj, “the international criminal,” that earned him the reputation of a “supercop.”
The Rise of “The Serpent” and “The Bikini Killer”
Born in Saigon to an Indian father and Vietnamese mother, Sobhraj was raised in France. He first gained notoriety in India in 1970 for a daring jewelry store heist at a prominent Delhi hotel. His capture by Inspector Zende a year later in Mumbai was hailed by city newspapers as a significant achievement for the Mumbai police.
However, Sobhraj’s freedom was short-lived. He escaped from Delhi police custody within days, having complained of appendicitis and being admitted to a hospital, only to slip away down a bathroom pipe.
In the following years, Sobhraj became infamous as a serial killer, linked to over 20 murders across India, Nepal, and Thailand. His methods often involved drugging, strangling, or beating his victims, primarily young Western women traveling through Asia, earning him the chilling moniker “The Bikini Killer.” Interpol issued a Red Corner notice, and law enforcement agencies globally were searching for him. He was dubbed “The Serpent” for his cunning disguises and ability to evade capture, a name that later inspired the hit BBC and Netflix series.
Sobhraj’s reign of terror finally met a significant setback in the summer of 1976. Delhi police arrested him for drugging and attempting to rob 40 French university students in the capital. Further charges followed, and an Indian court convicted him for the murder of a French tourist in a Mumbai hotel, leading to his imprisonment in Tihar jail.
A Celebrated Capture in Goa
Mr. Zende described Sobhraj’s 1986 escape from Tihar as “troubling,” noting Sobhraj’s known reliance on sedatives and his history of evading law enforcement. “There was no reason for anyone to trust him,” Zende stated.
Two weeks after the escape, Zende was tasked with finding Sobhraj again, a mission he recalled fondly as his first time flying and staying in a five-star hotel, adding to the excitement of the assignment.
The investigation led Zende and his team to Goa, where they eventually tracked Sobhraj to the O’Coqueiro restaurant in Porvorim, believed to be a hub for affluent foreigners making international calls. They suspected Sobhraj was preparing to flee to the US to join his wife.
On April 6, the team staked out the restaurant. Amidst a lively atmosphere of a hockey match and a wedding, Zende recognized Sobhraj immediately. “The 10 years of not seeing him fell away in an instant,” he wrote.
The successful arrest propelled Zende to celebrity status. Newspapers lauded him with “Zendabad” (a play on “long live”), he graced magazine covers, received accolades from Bollywood stars, and was awarded the President’s medal for bravery.
The restaurant even immortalized him with the “Zende platter,” a dish for six, as a testament to his achievement.
Sobhraj returned to prison, serving another decade. He later claimed his escape was a strategic move to extend his sentence in India and avoid extradition to Thailand, where he faced potential death penalties for additional murders.
After his release in 1997, Sobhraj returned to France. In 2003, he was arrested in Nepal for murders committed in 1975. Following a 19-year prison sentence, he was released in 2022 due to his age and good behavior and deported to France.
When asked about Sobhraj’s current status, Mr. Zende simply stated, “He’s served his sentence. He’s 81 years old now. I’m not concerned about him anymore.”