'Inspector Zende': Manoj Bajpayee is playing THIS real-life cop; all you need to know about policeman who caught Charles Sobhraj

Manoj Bajpayee's upcoming crime-comedy, 'Inspector Zende', features him in the titular role of Madhukar Zende, a Mumbai police officer renowned for his two-time capture of the notorious serial killer Charles Sobhraj. In the movie, the real name of the criminal has been twisted to Carl Bhojraj, played by Jim Sarbh. The film story sheds limelight on how Zende caught the 'Bikini killer'. Here's all you need to know about the real-life cop, Madhukar Zende.According to the Cinema Express, the real-life cop, Madhukar Zende’s first run-in with Sobhraj occurred in 1971. While posted at the Gamdevi police station, Zende received a tip about a planned heist by the criminal at the New India Assurance building. This intelligence led to a stakeout at Mumbai's Taj Mahal Palace.Recalling the arrest, Zende had told The Times of India, "On November 11, 1971, Sobhraj came in wearing a suit. We caught him. We interrogated him for a long time. We found rifles and revolvers."However, Charles escaped during the blackout that was declared during the Indo-Pak war from the hospital where he was supposed to get treated for appendicitis.The criminal was jailed in 1976 and was sentenced to 12 years in Tihar jail. However, he escaped in 1986. The Mumbai Police learned that he was hiding in Goa. They assigned Zenda due to his prior success. Since the cop knew that Sobhraj loves food and women, he visited a restaurant in the Porvorim area of Goa. His patience paid off on April 6, 1986, when the 'Serpent' arrived at the restaurant. The cops quickly captured him after the initial confrontation.According to the report, apart from the Sobhraj case, he even arrested Mumbai gangster Haji Mastan (according to his book, Mumbai's Most Wanted).Directed by Chinmay Mandlekar, the film also stars Sachin Khedekar, apart from Manoj Bajpayee and Jim Sarbh. It will be out on Netflix on September 5, 2025.