In this deeply engaging episode of Let’s Chat with GB, host Gaurav Bhagat sits down with Eric Chopra — author, historian, podcaster, and the mind behind the acclaimed book Ghosted — for a conversation that blends history, memory, mythology, and storytelling.Eric takes us through his unconventional journey into history, from a non-academic childhood to becoming a storyteller who views the past with nuance, empathy, and imagination. Together, they explore how history is not just a collection of dates, but a living repository of stories — some celebrated, some forgotten, and some haunting.🎙️ Host: Gaurav Bhagat🎧 Guest: Eric Chopra00:00 Intro: Ghosted, history & haunting Delhi02:18 How Eric’s love for history began (studying “backwards”)04:53 Growing up in an Air Force family: moving cities & identity08:02 Does history repeat itself? Politics, patterns & context11:35 Why Eric wrote Ghosted: heritage walks + horror obsession17:01 Why Mehrauli feels mystical (saints, “Purani Dilli” & geography)21:27 Qutub Minar, the 1981 stampede & the “haunted backyard”22:16 The Iron Pillar wish story + why it was cordoned off23:43 Legend: How Delhi got its name from the Iron Pillar25:36 Ashoka pillars, Firoz Shah Tughlaq & moving monuments to Delhi28:57 Firoz Shah Kotla’s “Latal Baba” & Jinn darbar lore32:01 Jinn vs ghosts: classifications & why they “choose” behavior34:13 British/1857 ghosts, Northern Ridge tales & headless phantom myths36:13 Jamali-Kamali: why it’s a secret gem + picnic-era nostalgia37:22 Who was Kamali? lover / student / mystery & queer history lens43:34 Khooni Darwaza: what happened in 1857 (Zafar’s sons)48:21 Dara Shikoh head story—myth vs records51:13 After-effects: heaviness, lucid dreams & “residual” history55:49 Malcha Mahal: the “Queen of Oudh” story & tragedy1:02:43 Rapid fire: influencers, biopics, empires & live-streamed history1:10:41 Ghalib quote: “Delhi is the soul”1:12:16 What Itihaasology does: walks, journal, musicals & podcast1:16:50 Ghosted walk launch at Jamali-Kamali + upcoming reruns1:18:40 Possession, belief & respecting people’s experiences1:22:33 Goodies + closing moments

What really happens behind prison walls? In this gripping conclusion of our two-part series, Sunil Gupta, former Tihar Jail officer and author of Black Warrant, takes us deep inside India’s most notorious prison, revealing stories that have never been shared so openly.From encounters with Charles Sobhraj, Subrata Roy, and Afzal Guru, to the moral and legal dilemmas surrounding death row, Gupta shares the realities of power, redemption, and reform inside one of the world’s largest prison systems.In this episode:1. How India’s judicial system and black warrant process really work2. The truth about women’s prisons and how gender bias affects inmates3. What it’s like to manage foreign prisoners, from Nigerians to Europeans4. The evolution of open prisons and rehabilitation programs in India5. Behind-the-scenes of Netflix’s “Black Warrant” and its real-life accuracy6. Sunil Gupta’s reflections on justice, mercy, and leadership from his decades in serviceWhether you’re fascinated by criminal justice, social reform, or true stories of courage from inside the system, this conversation offers a rare, unfiltered look into India’s prisons, straight from the man who ran them.Watch now to discover the human stories, moral conflicts, and surprising lessons from the other side of the bars.Timestamp:00:00 – Recap & Part 2 intro00:25 – Manu Sharma: conduct & Tihar Bakery revamp01:18 – “Sell in Courts” idea; outlets & perception shift03:37 – Inmate-run restaurant05:03 – Philanthropy for prisoners’ children06:44 – Why write “Black Warrant”07:10 – why judges break the pen08:38 – Death sentence pathway11:21 – 15-day protocol, solitary, religious texts; execution-day myths15:20 – Stance on death penalty27:04 – Rapid-fire34:30 – Netflix series production37:34 – Legal advocacy: women semi-open prisons & half-way homes42:53 – Foreign inmates & contraband52:09 – Personal toll & family life57:41 – 1986 Charles Sobhraj escape memory

37 views Oct 26, 2025From Jailer to Reformer: The Untold Story Behind “Black Warrant” | Real-Life Stories from India’s PrisonWhat does it take to transform from a young jail officer into one of India’s leading voices for prison reform? In this gripping conversation, we sit down with Sunil Gupta author of Black Warrant, a man who spent over 35 years inside India’s prison system not as an inmate, but as someone who shaped it from within.Discover untold stories from behind the bars:The truth about Charles Sobhraj, one of India’s most infamous inmatesLife inside Tihar Jail and how prison culture has evolvedThe emotional and moral dilemmas of signing a black warrantHow yoga, meditation, and vocational training became tools for real rehabilitationThe fine line between punishment and reformThis episode dives deep into crime, redemption, and humanity exploring the real stories that inspired the Netflix series “Black Warrant”.Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful conversations on law, justice, and life beyond the cell walls. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/letschatwit...________________________________________________________________________________Gaurav BhagatFacebook = https://gauravbhagat.academy/38lgjVjInstagram = https://gauravbhagat.academy/3lKnSIhLinkedin = https://gauravbhagat.academy/3LTEFDb