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With Manoj Bajpayee starrer Inspector Zende releasing on Netflix, the infamous Charles Sobhraj case has resurfaced in public memory. At its core, however, is not just Sobhraj–the “Bikini Killer”–but the man who nabbed him not once, but twice: Inspector Madhukar Zende. While his heroics were celebrated in headlines, the way India honoured him afterward is a fascinating story in itself. Zende’s bravery made waves across the nation. India’s then Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, stopped his car to meet him. Lata Mangeshkar made calls to meet him. Amul honoured him with a topical. And legendary actor Dilip Kumar booked an entire hotel room just to listen to his story. Netflix’s Inspector Zende presents a fictionalised account of the story.
In a recent conversation with Subhojit Ghosh, Zende recalled the dramatic arrest of Charles Sobhraj at a Goa hotel (the second arrest) and the reaction afterward. “I called my DGP and said, ‘Sir, I have caught him.’ He was overjoyed and instructed me to bring him directly to Mumbai,” Zende recounted.
Charles Sobhraj being brought to Tis Hazari courts in New delhi. (Express photo by R.L. Chopra)
By the time they reached Panvel, a massive police contingent awaited him. A special plane was even dispatched to take Sobhraj to Delhi. “The media was everywhere. Doordarshan aired my interview, newspapers across languages carried my story. The next morning, my nephew in New York called me saying, ‘Uncle, you’re on TIME magazine!’”
Soon after, Amul unveiled a hoarding in his honour that read, “Atke Paar Zende.” Placed right opposite Lata Mangeshkar’s residence, the tribute caught her eye. The singing icon insisted on meeting the inspector, later attending a grand felicitation in his honour with the entire Mangeshkar family present. “At the event, both Lata ji and Asha Bhosle asked for my autograph,” Zende recalled.
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His fame even reached the Prime Minister. Spotting him during a visit to Mumbai, Rajiv Gandhi stopped his car to meet the inspector. For security reasons, their meeting was arranged the next day at Raj Bhavan, where the PM personally congratulated Zende and his team.
French National Charles Sobhraj leaves the court together with his lawyer Jacques Verges. Sobhraj who has linked to several unsolved murders in Asia in the 1970s, was charged with poisoning his return to France after spending 20 years in Indian Jails. (Express photo)
Then came Dilip Kumar. “He called me himself,” Zende said. “He didn’t want to summon me to his house or visit the police station due to the crowd. Instead, he booked a hotel room and requested me to meet him there. We spoke for over an hour. After that, we became close friends–he often invited me to his preview shows.”
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When Zende arrested Charles Sobhraj
Zende’s first encounter with Sobhraj was in 1971, after a tip-off from a thief named Ajay Parekh about a planned robbery at the New India Assurance building. Zende arrested Sobhraj near Mumbai’s Taj Hotel, but during the Indo-Pakistan War later that year, Sobhraj escaped from a hospital where he was admitted for an alleged appendicitis procedure.
ACP Madhukar Zende, with family after arrest of Charles Sobhraj. (Express archive photo 8.4.86)
In 1986, after Sobhraj staged a sensational escape from Delhi’s Tihar Jail, Zende was once again tasked with leading the hunt. Using information from a hotel owner and a local telephone exchange, he tracked Sobhraj to a restaurant in Goa, finally arresting him again on April 6, 1986.
Where is Charles Sobhraj now
After his release from India in 1997, Charles Sobhraj moved to Paris but was later arrested in Nepal in 2003 for the 1975 murder of American tourist Connie Jo Bronzich. He was sentenced to life imprisonment. During his years in a Nepali prison, he married lawyer Nihita Biswas. In 2022, at age 78, Sobhraj was released due to health issues and advanced age. Now 81, he lives freely in France.
Madhukar Zende, now 88, lives in quiet retirement but remains a legend in Indian policing history. Long before CCTV cameras and digital surveillance, he tracked and captured one of the world’s most notorious fugitives–twice. His story remains a rare blend of courage, grit, and national pride.
