13 Apr 2021  |   04:33am IST

The protagonists of “The Serpent’s” arrest in Goa are heroes again thanks to Netflix

Charles Sobhraj the dreaded criminal was arrested at the O Coqueiro restaurant exactly 25 years ago on April 6 in 1986 thanks to Inspector Madhukar Zende of the Bombay police. Chef Peter Fernandes who now runs his own restaurant in the depths of Pilerne, then a junior member of the staff, provided assistance to the police. As a nine part series, on Charles Shobraj, The Serpent is now streaming worldwide on Netflix, Chef Peter gives us a rundown on how that fateful day, April 6 1986 turned out

Ajit John

He is certainly one of the more charismatic criminals, who caught the attention of the general public. Charles Sobhraj is a name that evokes a sense of dread and curious fascination. He has not done anything spectacular for while perhaps weighed down by advancing age or the security measures in force at Tihar jail. Now the telecast of a 9 part series titled “Serpent” on Netflix is reminding people of the deviousness and ruthlessness of him as he spread a wave of terror along the hippie trail. One of the episodes showcases the capture of Charles Sobhraj in Goa at the O Coqueiro restaurant in Porvorim. The team involved in the production of the series flew down and spoke to the two people who were involved in the arrest of the master criminal, Goa’s very own Chef Peter Fernandes and Inspector Madhukar Zende of Mumbai police. 

Chef Peter Fernandes then a junior member of the staff at the restaurant said the team interviewed them claiming it was for a documentary on the master criminal. He said he was surprised when he learned a nine part series was now being telecast on an online platform. 

Chef Peter said “I joined the staff of the hotel on January 12, 1986 and Charles was arrested on April 6th 1986 a little after 9.30 in the restaurant. I was not a chef those days but a Comme 1. The designation was not there then but now that’s what I would have been called”. 

The day the arrest took place, the restaurant was the venue for a wedding for a couple from Parra. Before the wedding could start, three Maharashtrian gentlemen walked in around 6 o clock. Chef Peter said they stood out because they were all dressed in white shirts and white pants. He said “They wanted to sit in an area where the wedding reception would take place. We requested them to sit in front of the counter. They walked around the place and left the restaurant. They returned at 8 o’clock and sat in an area where the wedding reception was not on”. He said he was by then very busy serving food because at 9 clock the buffet would commence. He was moving from the kitchen to the restaurant. He was keeping a tab on the party and ensuring that food was being served. At around 9.30 he said two gentlemen who were well dressed walked in and sat in the gallery because there was no other place to sit. They gave the order and were waiting to be served. As if on cue the three Maharashtrian men stood up and walked straight over to the table. Chef Peter said “One of the gentlemen who I later learnt was Inspector Madhukar Zende said “Hello Charles” There was a pouch on the table in which there was - we figured later- a pistol. Charles made a move for the pouch but the swift inspector removed the pouch and held Charles with his other hand. David who had come with Charles was also held by the other men with the inspector”. Giles Veigas the big boss at the restaurant noticed the commotion and asked them why his guests were being handled. They informed him they were the police and the man they had arrested was the dreaded Charles Sobhraj. Chef Peter was instructed to get a rope. He said “ we don’t keep ropes in the restaurant, we had a well those days and I removed the rope from the pulley and they tied Charles with a rope. They had an Ambassador car and they pushed him into the car and they drove off towards Maharashtra”. 

These occurrences were very rare and excited the media which came to the restaurant in large numbers with the hour. He was interviewed by all of them at the insistence of his boss. The videographer who was hired to record the wedding celebrations decided to record the more interesting proceedings in the restaurant. Giles Veigas informed everyone that Chef Peter was involved in helping the police by providing them with the rope. The Goa police he said learnt of the arrest once Inspector Zende and his men had crossed into Maharashtra. The video recording was screened on Doordarshan. 

Chef Peter Fernandes is now a restaurateur of great repute with an outlet of his own in Pilerne. And yes the inspector is now enjoying his well earned retirement. They certainly did their bit for their country.