Mumbai: A Bollywood punchline has leapt off the screen and onto Mumbai’s streets — with crime as the plot twist. Inspired by actor Sunny Deol’s popular
“Sorry bol” dialogue from the film Jatt, a habitual offender allegedly turned filmi aggression into a chain-snatching trick, using staged arguments to distract pedestrians before stealing their jewellery, as per a Mid-day report. Police said the accused would deliberately bump into people in crowded areas, trigger a confrontation, aggressively demand an apology, and then quietly snatch gold chains in the chaos before vanishing into the crowd. The unusual modus operandi came to an end after the Kasturba Marg police arrested the suspect, bringing a dramatic halt to what officers describe as a crime spree straight out of a movie script.
How the ‘Sorry Bol’ Trick Worked
Police explained that the accused would first approach pedestrians randomly on busy streets and position himself close enough to create contact.
He would then push the victim and immediately start arguing, repeatedly shouting “sorry bol”, forcing the person to apologise. As the argument escalated, he would block the victim’s path, grab their collar or behave aggressively, ensuring the victim remained focused on the confrontation.
Moments later — while the victim was distracted, confused or intimidated — he would swiftly yank the gold chain and flee.
Accused Identified as History-Sheeter From Bhiwandi
Police identified the accused as Sadik Mohammed Akhtar Khan (36), a resident of Bhiwandi, calling him a known offender with a long criminal record.
Officers said Khan intentionally created confrontations to buy himself a few seconds — just enough to remove jewellery unnoticed, as per the report.
Borivli Incident: Victim Realised Chain Missing Moments Later
One of the reported cases was filed by a 43-year-old private company employee from Borivli East.According to his statement, the incident happened on December 13, at around 7.20 pm, when he was walking home from Borivli station. Near SBI Bank at Raidongri, Dattapada, an unknown man suddenly pushed him and accused him of not apologising.
The accused allegedly forced him to say “sorry”, blocked his way when he attempted to leave, and grabbed his collar while continuing the argument. After the man finally moved away, the complainant realised his gold chain worth around Rs 90,000 was missing.
Suspecting theft during the staged altercation, he approached police and lodged a complaint. A case was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Section 303(2).
CCTV Leads to Arrest From Bhiwandi
Following the complaint, a team from Kasturba Marg police station analysed CCTV footage from the area.
Under the guidance of DCP Mahesh Chimate and Senior Inspector Jairaj Ranaware, PSI Dheeraj Waykos and his detection team tracked and arrested Khan from Bhiwandi on January 7, as per the report.
Further investigation revealed the accused has more than 25 criminal cases registered against him across Mumbai and Thane, including areas such as:
- Chembur
- Tilaknagar
- Vile Parle
- Mahatma Phule Nagar
- Thane
- Bhiwandi
Police said Khan had earlier served an eight-year prison sentence under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). Most of his previous offences involve chain-snatching and theft, and investigators suspect he may be linked to similar cases across the city.
Police said Khan lives with his family in Bhiwandi, and one of his brothers is reportedly contesting upcoming civic elections as an independent candidate.
