Netflix’s Black Warrant: Why was Charles Sobhraj called the 'bikini killer'?

Tihar was and is one of the most notorious jails in the world. Charles Sobhraj is the man who broke out the Tihar jail. Based on true case studies, Vikramaditya Motwane directorial, Netflix’s Black Warrant is a well-researched show and a must watch. It shows the filthy powerplay inside Tihar jail. Black Warrant: Confessions of a Tihar Jailer” by jailer Sunil Kumar Gupta and journalist Sunetra Choudhury, the series chronicles the true story of a prison officer’s 35-year journey through one of India’s most infamous correctional facilities.

All you need to know about Charles Sobhraj and why was he called the bikini killer

 A very well made show, where each and every actor gave their best. But I feel the most challenging bit was the role played by Sidhant Gupta. He plays the role of Charles Sobraj. The series, told through the eyes of rookie jailer Sunil Gupta, explores the gritty reality of Delhi’s Tihar Jail, with actor Sidhant Gupta stepping into the shoes of the infamous serial killer who was considered to be one of the most notorious criminals of the 20th century.

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Undoubtedly one of the most charming men with a sharp mind was like a serpent. He was born on 6 April 1944 in Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam). His real name was Hotchand Bhawnani Gurmukh Sobhraj. According to several reports which made headlines, he was serial killer, fraudster, and thief who preyed on Western tourists travelling on the hippie trail of South Asia during the 1970s. He was known as the Bikini Killer because of the attire of several of his victims, as well as the Splitting Killer and the Serpent for “his snake-like ability to avoid detection by authorities.

After several escapes, Sobraj returned to India in 1975, he met Marie-Andrée Leclerc, a Canadian woman who would become his second wife, and Ajay Chowdhury, his accomplice. The trio embarked on a spree of murders and thefts.

As per reports published in CNBC TV18 , one of Sobhraj’s first known victims was Teresa Knowlton, a 21-year-old whose body was discovered floating in Pattaya, dressed in a bikini. She was followed by Vitali Hakim, whose burned remains were discovered roadside. When Hakim’s girlfriend came searching for him, she too fell victim to Sobhraj, her lifeless body floating eerily in the water, also clad in a bikini. Hence he was called the ‘Bikini Killer’.

Early childhood of Charles Sobraj

 He had a troubled childhood coming from a disturbed broken family. His father abandoned him when he was a child. Later, his mother married a Frenchman. From the very beginning he was ostracised for his mixed race. Many believed that it is his troubled childhood that made him the man that he is. As a teenager too he was involved in petty crimes.

Sobraj’s criminal record

As per reports, Sobhraj murdered at least 20 tourists in South and Southeast Asia, including 14 in Thailand. He was convicted and jailed in India from 1976 to 1997. After his release he returned to France. Sobhraj went to Nepal in 2003, where he was arrested, tried, and given a life sentence. On 21 December 2022, the Supreme Court of Nepal ordered his release from prison because of his old age, after he had served 19 years of his prison term. On 23 December, he was released and deported to France.

WATCH the trailer of Netflix’s Black Warrant here:

(With added inputs from agencies)