Inspector Madhukar Bapurao Zende was a distinguished Mumbai Police officer, active from 1959 to 1996, renowned for capturing the notorious serial killer Charles Sobhraj, also known as the “Bikini Killer” and “The Serpent,” twice.
Zende’s career was marked by sharp investigative skills, courage, and ethical policing, earning him national recognition, including the Police Medal for Meritorious Service and the President’s Medal for Distinguished Service in consecutive years, a rare honour.
Growing up, I heard countless stories about Inspector Zende from my father. Today, I’ve had the privilege to produce a film on him for Netflix.
A truly special moment ✨
In this BTS, the Reel Inspector Zende meets the OG Inspector Zende. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/FhOSdbTnVM— Om Raut (@omraut) September 5, 2025
From high-stakes stakeouts to daring arrests, Zende’s story is a thrilling saga of courage, cunning, and an unbreakable commitment to justice—a tale so gripping it inspired the 2025 Netflix film Inspector Zende. Meet the officer who became a national hero by outsmarting one of history’s most notorious criminals.
First Arrest (1971, Mumbai): Zende, stationed at Gamdevi Police Station, received a tip from a reformed criminal, Ajay Parekh, about Sobhraj’s plan to rob the New India Assurance building.
Zende and his team staked out the Taj Mahal Palace hotel, where Sobhraj was staying. On November 11, 1971, they arrested him, finding rifles, revolvers, and hotel receipts linking him to his gang. Sobhraj, described by Zende as a “rough fellow” with little regard for police, escaped later that year during a hospital transfer, taking advantage of a blackout during the Indo-Pak war.
Second Arrest (1986, Goa):
After Sobhraj escaped from Tihar Jail in March 1986 by drugging guards with spiked sweets, Zende was tasked with recapturing him. Acting on a tip that Sobhraj was in Goa, planning to flee via a cruise, Zende tracked him using a motorcycle number. He posed as a man searching for his “brother” to gather leads, eventually locating Sobhraj at O’Coqueiro restaurant in Porvorim on April 6, 1986.
Recognising him despite a disguise, Zende swiftly apprehended him, tying him up with ropes from the café due to a lack of handcuffs. To prevent another escape, Zende had two constables sit on Sobhraj during the train ride back to Mumbai. This arrest extended Sobhraj’s sentence by 10 years, thwarting his potential extradition to Thailand, where he faced the death penalty.
Zende’s exploits made him a national hero. He met prominent figures like Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, who stopped his car to congratulate him, and Bollywood icon Dilip Kumar.
The Netflix film Inspector Zende (2025), starring Manoj Bajpayee as Zende and Jim Sarbh as a fictionalised Sobhraj (Carl Bhojraj), dramatises these events, blending crime and comedy to highlight Zende’s relentless pursuit.
