Social media influencer Kirti Patel, who has over 1.3 million followers on Instagram, has been arrested in Ahmedabad after being on the run for nearly 10 months.
Patel was accused of honeytrapping a builder in Surat, attempting to extort crores of rupees, and facing multiple other complaints related to land grabbing and extortion.
According to Surat police, an FIR was registered against Patel on June 2, 2024, and a court-issued warrant followed. While four co-accused were arrested earlier, Patel had been evading arrest by frequently changing locations, using multiple SIM cards, and masking her digital footprint.
“Her location kept changing constantly across Gujarat. The IP addresses and phone numbers kept rotating,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police Alok Kumar. “With the help of our cyber team and assistance from Instagram, we finally tracked her to the Sarkhej area of Ahmedabad.”
The arrest was made in a joint operation between the Surat and Ahmedabad police teams. Police revealed that Patel is also linked to other extortion and land-grabbing cases, and her statements will be recorded in those investigations as well.
DCP Alok Kumar has urged citizens facing extortion or blackmail to approach the nearest police station or directly contact the ACP/DCP office for assistance
