Police in the Kandivali area of Mumbai have arrested a 42-year-old man named Satish Kumar Krishnaprasad Kesari for allegedly stealing a gold chain valued at approximately Rs 5 lakh. According to investigators, the accused hails from Bihar and holds a degree in computer science. He had previously even participated in the eighth season of the popular television quiz show Kaun Banega Crorepati. After facing repeated setbacks, including failures in civil services examinations, missing out on reaching the hot seat on television, and suffering heavy financial losses in a business venture, he found himself drowning in debt and allegedly resorted to stealing from jewellery shops to clear his dues.
Setbacks in Civil Services and Television Quiz Show
Following the completion of his education, the accused moved from Bihar to Delhi in search of livelihood opportunities. While residing there, he engaged in part-time work alongside preparing for the rigorous UPSC examinations, though he ultimately failed to secure success. Subsequently, he decided to try his luck on Kaun Banega Crorepati. During his stint on the show, he successfully made it to the group of the top 10 contestants chosen for the final episode, but he could not progress beyond the fastest finger first round and missed the opportunity to sit on the main hot seat.
Severe Business Losses and Mounting Financial Pressures
Undeterred by earlier disappointments, he partnered with his wife to launch a tour and travel enterprise. He borrowed heavily to purchase four to five vehicles and operated them through ride-sharing platforms like Ola and Uber. However, the business failed to generate profits, plunging him deep into a quagmire of debt. Police stated that in order to cope with this financial distress, he devised a modus operandi where he would visit jewellery stores posing as a genuine customer, ask staff to display ornaments for inspection, and then flee with the valuables under the pretext of examining them closely.
Execution of the Heist and Subsequent Investigation
Operating under this strategy, he targeted Padmavati Jewellers located on Mathuradas Road in West Kandivali on November 15, 2025. He managed to steal a gold chain weighing 43.2 grams, with a market value estimated at around Rs 5 lakh. Following the incident, law enforcement authorities initiated a comprehensive probe utilizing closed-circuit television footage and technical surveillance. These investigative steps gradually provided crucial leads that helped track down the suspect.
Evasion Tactics Involving Fake Identity and Untraceable Phone
The investigation posed significant challenges for the Mumbai police because the accused had provided fabricated details and a bogus Aadhaar card while checking into a dormitory. Furthermore, the mobile phone number he had left on record was switched off, making it difficult to establish his physical location. Nevertheless, investigators meticulously parsed hours of surveillance video and pursued technical footprints until they successfully identified a functional mobile number linked to the suspect.
Armed with this intelligence, a police team travelled to the Uttam Nagar area of Delhi and apprehended the accused on October 28, 2026. Authorities successfully recovered the stolen gold chain during the operation. According to a police official involved in the case, the accused confessed to the crime during custodial interrogation and admitted his involvement in a similar jewellery theft reported within the jurisdiction of the Dindoshi police station. The accused remains in police custody as further inquiries continue.
