Lost At 'Fastest Finger First', Got Hands Dirty In Crime: Failed KBC, UPSC Candidate Caught In Jewellery Heist

News india Lost At 'Fastest Finger First', Got Hands Dirty In Crime: Failed KBC, UPSC Candidate Caught In Jewellery Heist

Last Updated:November 07, 2026, 21:53 IST

The Mumbai Police arrested 42-year-old Satishkumar Krishnaprasad Keshari in Delhi following a year-long investigation into a high-profile gold theft in Kandivali West

A computer science graduate’s quest for success through civil services, television fame, and entrepreneurship spiralled into crime after mounting financial debts drove him to target high-value jewellery stores.

The Mumbai Police arrested 42-year-old Satishkumar Krishnaprasad Keshari in Delhi following a year-long investigation into a high-profile gold theft in Kandivali West. Officers recovered a stolen gold chain weighing 43.2 grams, valued at approximately Rs 5 lakh, ending his multi-city run from law enforcement.

Dashed Dreams of Civil Service and KBC Fame

Hailing from Bihar, Keshari moved to Delhi seeking better career prospects. While supporting himself with part-time jobs, he spent years preparing for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examinations, but failed to secure selection.

Attempting to turn his fortune around, he qualified for Season 8 of the popular television quiz show Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC). Selected among the final ten contestants for the episode, Keshari’s run ended abruptly when he failed to cross the “Fastest Finger First" round.

Escalating Losses and Strategic Heists

Following his media setback, Keshari partnered with his wife to establish a tour-and-travel business, purchasing four to five vehicles on credit to operate on cab-aggregation platforms. However, the enterprise accumulated steep financial losses, leaving him overwhelmed by debt.

Driven by financial desperation, he devised a scheme to visit prominent jewellery outlets across different cities, posing as an affluent buyer.

On November 15, 2025, Keshari entered Padmavati Jewellers on Mathuradas Road in Kandivali West. Posing as a prospective customer, he asked staff to display high-end gold chains before seizing a 43.2-gram piece and fleeing the store.

Technical Tracking Traces Accused to Delhi

To evade arrest, Keshari submitted a fake Aadhaar card while checking into a local dormitory in Mumbai, deactivated his primary mobile number, and fled back to Delhi.

Investigators from the Kandivali police station spent months scanning extensive CCTV footage and tracking digital signatures. The breakthrough occurred when technical surveillance pinpointed an active mobile device linked to the suspect.

A specialised Mumbai Police team raided his location in Uttam Nagar, Delhi, taking him into custody. During interrogation, Keshari confessed to the Kandivali heist and admitted involvement in a similar jewellery theft in Mumbai’s Dindoshi area. He remains in police custody as investigations continue.

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Pathikrit Sen Gupta

Pathikrit Sen Gupta is a Senior Associate Editor with News18.com and likes to cut a long story short. He writes sporadically on Politics, Sports, Global Affairs, Space, Entertainment, And Food. He tra...Read More

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