Rakesh Maria Age, Caste, Wife, Family, Biography & More

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Hometown: Mumbai

Height: 6' 2"

Age: 63 Years

Bio/Wiki
Real Name	Rakesh Madia
Profession	Retired IPS Officer
Physical Stats & More
Height (approx.)	in centimeters- 188 cm in meters- 1.88 m in feet inches- 6’ 2”
Weight (approx.)	in kilograms- 70 kg in pounds- 154 lbs
Eye Colour	Black
Hair Colour	Salt & Pepper
Civil Services
Service	Indian Police Service (IPS)
Batch	1981
Cadre	Maharashtra
Major Designations(s)	Rakesh Maria joined the IPS in 1981, and he held several important posts in his 36 years long career. • Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) in 1993 • Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) • Joint Commissioner of Mumbai Police (Crime) • Chief of Mumbai's Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) • Commissioner of the Mumbai Police on 15 February 2014 • Director-General of the Home Guard
Awards, Honours, Achievements	• President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service • Police Medal for Meritorious Services • 50th Anniversary Independence Medal
Personal Life
Date of Birth	19 January 1957 (Saturday)
Age (as in 2020)	63 Years
Birthplace	Bandra, Mumbai
Zodiac sign	Capricorn
Nationality	Indian
Hometown	Mumbai
School	St. Andrew's High School, Mumbai
College/University	St. Xavier's College, Mumbai
Religion	Sikhism
Caste	Gond (Primitive Tribal Group)
Food Habit	Non-Vegetarian
Hobbies	Reading Books, Listening to Ghazals and Qawwalis by the Indian and Pakistani artists, performing Taekwondo, and playing Basketball
Controversies	• In 2003, during a sting operation, Maria made a controversial statement about the cricket betting scandal. He was criticized about the statement. • Once, Rakesh Maria was transferred to a low profile in the Civil Rights Division; as a fake terror alert in a place of worship was reportedly sent from his email. • On 1 December 2009, Vinita Kamte, wife of the slain assistant commissioner Ashok Kamte, revealed in her book "To The Last Bullet" that, Rakesh Maria was in the control room during the 26/11 attacks, and he mishandled the security response during the 26/11 attacks, which also led to her husband's death.
Relationships & More
Marital Status	Married
Affairs/Girlfriends	Preeti
Marriage Date	Year 1985
Family
Wife/Spouse	Preeti Maria (Businesswoman)
Children	Son(s)- 2 • Kunal (Elder; Lawyer) • Krish (Younger) Daughter- None
Parents	Father- Vijay Madia (Film Producer) Mother- Name Not Known
Siblings	None
Favourite Things
Favourite Cuisine	Thai
Favourite Dish	Deep-fried Mackerel (Fish)
Favourite Actor	Amitabh Bachchan
Favourite Film	Zanjeer (1973)
Favourite Singer(s)	Mehdi Hassan, Ghulam Ali
Favourite Book(s)	"The Day of the Jackal" by Frederick Forsyth, Sherlock Holmes

Some Lesser Known Facts About Rakesh Maria

Rakesh Maria is the former Police Commissioner of Mumbai and the Director-General of the Home Guard. He has been a part of solving some of the most high profile cases in India.

His father, Vijay Madia, owns a production house, and he has produced super hit films such as “Neel Kalam”, “Preetam”, and “Kaajal”. His father had moved from Punjab to Mumbai; to become an actor.

When Rakesh was in college, he was a basketball champion and he was interested in martial arts. Rakesh is often seen playing basketball for Mumbai Police.
Rakesh Maria playing basketball

Since childhood, it was his dream to be in the uniformed services.

In 1979, at the age of 22, Rakesh Maria represented Maharashtra in Karate at the National Games.

When he was filling his application form for the civil services, he wrote IPS in all the slots of the column which asks the candidate about his/her preferred service.

He came into the limelight when Maria investigated and solved the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.
Rakesh Maria during his younger days

In 2003, he solved the Gateway of India and the Zaveri Bazaar twin blast case, in which the accused were given death sentences.

Several officers of the Mumbai Police call him Sherlock Holmes. Reportedly, his unique style of interrogation is often admired by other officers. Maria talks to the suspects in such a way and plays such mind games that the accused often confess their crimes to him.

Maria is also famous for getting Sanjay Dutt to confess to his underworld links.
Sanjay Dutt being arrested in connection with the 1993 blast case

Rakesh Maria interrogated the lone Pakistani terrorist of the 26/11 attacks, Ajmal Kasab. He was credited with getting the most information out of Kasab; as Maria knew Urdu, which was Kasab’s language, and he used mind games and tricks which led to Kasab giving information about his handlers in Pakistan.
Ajmal Kasab in custody

He often regrets not being on the field on the day of the 26/11 attacks. He was given the charge of the control room on the day of the 26/11 attacks.

As the Chief of the Mumbai ATS, he uncovered the network of sleeper cells of the Indian Mujahideen in India, which used to plant bombs all over India.

Rakesh Maria also represents the football team of the Mumbai Police in many state football tournaments.
Rakesh Maria playing football

Maria is the only IPS officer who has headed the Crime branch as a Deputy Commissioner, Additional Commissioner, Joint Commissioner, and Commissioner.

He often goes on the streets himself in case there is a disturbance or violence. Reportedly, once, when two groups were fighting on the road, Maria arrived at the spot, took a lathi in his hand, and he strolled the location where the violence was ongoing. As soon as the group saw him, they dispersed immediately.
Rakesh Maria on the streets of Mumbai

In the 2013 film “The Attacks of 26/11”, Nana Patekar played the role of Rakesh Maria in the movie.
Nana Patekar as Rakesh Maria

When Rakesh Maria retired, he announced that he will be writing a book about all his high profile cases, his memoirs, and his journey from an Assistant Superintendent of Police to the Commissioner of Mumbai Police.

On 6 August 2018, film director Meghna Gulzar announced that she’ll be making a web series about Rakesh Maria.
Rakesh Maria with film director Meghna Gulzar

In February 2020, Maria claimed in his book “Let Me Say It Now” that the Lashkar-e-Taiba had sent the terrorists of the Mumbai terror attacks in 2008 with fake Hindu names, and the attacks would have been reported as “Hindu terror.” The former Mumbai police commissioner Rakesh Maria has written in his explosive memoirs that had Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) succeeded in their plan, Ajmal Kasab would have died as a Bengaluru resident named “Samir Dinesh Chaudhari” with a “red thread tied around his wrist. According to Maria,

If all had gone well, he would have been dead with a red string tied around his wrist like a Hindu. We would have found an identity card on his person with a fictitious name: Samir Dinesh Chaudhari, student of Arunodaya degree and PG college…Bengaluru…There would have been screaming headlines on newspapers claiming how Hindu terrorists had attacked Mumbai. Over the top TV journalists would have made a beeline for Bengaluru to interview his family and neighbours. But alas, it had not worked that way and here he was, Ajmal Amir Kasab of Faridkot in Pakistan.”