Inspector Madhukar Zende’s capture of Charles Sobhraj is back in focus with a new Netflix series. Zende, who apprehended the ‘Bikini Killer’ twice, became a national hero. His second arrest led to widespread media coverage, a witty hoarding, and even an autograph request from Lata Mangeshkar. Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Dilip Kumar also acknowledged Zende’s bravery, solidifying his fame.
With Manoj Bajpayee’s Inspector Zende coming to Netflix, the Charles Sobhraj case is back in the spotlight. The real hero, Inspector Madhukar Zende, caught the ‘Bikini Killer’ twice and became a national sensation.
Recalling the second arrest
In a chat with Subhojit Ghosh, Zende looked back at Charles Sobhraj’s second arrest in a Goa hotel. He shared how he immediately phoned his DGP to break the news. The officer was thrilled and told him to bring Sobhraj straight to Mumbai.By the time they got to Panvel, a huge police force was waiting, and a special plane was arranged to fly Sobhraj to Delhi. Media swarmed the scene — Doordarshan aired Zende’s interview, newspapers covered it nationwide, and even his nephew in New York spotted him in TIME magazine.
Lata Mangeshkar’s autograph request
Soon after, a popular dairy brand put up a witty hoarding in his honour that read, ‘Atke Paar Zende.’ It stood right across from Lata Mangeshkar’s home, instantly catching her attention. She requested to meet the inspector and later attended a grand felicitation with her entire family, where both Lata ji and Asha Bhosle even asked for his autograph.His fame soon reached the Prime Minister. During a Mumbai visit, Rajiv Gandhi spotted him and stopped his car to acknowledge the inspector. For security reasons, their formal meeting was arranged the next day at Raj Bhavan, where the PM personally praised Zende and his team for their bravery.
Dilip Kumar’s private meeting
Then came a surprise from Dilip Kumar. Instead of calling Zende home or visiting a police station, the legendary actor booked a hotel room to meet him privately. They spoke for over an hour, and from that day on, a close friendship began, with Dilip often inviting him to movie previews.
