Ahmedabad, May 21 (IANS) The Ahmedabad Crime Branch has arrested a 53-year-old actor who allegedly spent nearly a decade evading authorities after jumping parole while serving a life sentence in a 2005 murder case, officials said on Thursday.
The accused, identified as Hemant Vaishnav, also known as Hemant Modi, was arrested from a rented residence near Gheekanta Metro Station in Ahmedabad.
Police said he had been declared a parole jumper on July 25, 2014, after failing to surrender following a 30-day parole granted by the Gujarat High Court.
Addressing a press conference, Inspector P.M. Dhakda said the accused had been convicted in 2008 and sentenced to life imprisonment in connection with a murder committed in Naroda in 2005.
“Yesterday, the Crime Branch arrested Hemant Navnitbhai Modi from Indore. He is a parole-jump convict who had been serving a life sentence for murder and had been absconding for the last 12 years,” Dhakda said.
According to police, the murder case arose from a dispute between neighbours over placing a ladder on a road near a water tank in the locality where the accused lived.
Dhakda said there had been an altercation between Modi and a neighbour, identified as Ajaybhai Patel Karin, during which Narendra Kamble was present.
“He suffered injuries and died at the spot,” the officer said. Police said seven people were convicted in the case and sentenced to life imprisonment.
“Most of the accused have been released. Only one accused is still in jail, and his sentence is ongoing,” Dhakda said.
The Crime Branch said Modi remained absconding after parole and moved across Patan, Ahmedabad and Mumbai while working different jobs and later pursuing acting assignments.
Investigators said he initially stayed in paying guest accommodation and worked in companies before entering the entertainment industry, using his earlier theatre experience.
“Initially, he performed small roles and participated in public awareness programmes. Later, he entered the main industry and worked with important actors in supporting roles,” Dhakda said.
According to the Crime Branch, Modi appeared in films including Thugs of Hindostan alongside Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan, and Jayeshbhai Jordaar starring Ranveer Singh.
Police said his acting work also included the upcoming films Lahore 1947 and Metro In Dino, the South Indian film L2: Empuraan, and television serials such as Wagle Ki Duniya and Mere Sai.
He also acted in theatre productions, including Yugpurush and Gandhi Viruddh Godse. Police said he had also worked in Gujarati, Hindi and South Indian web series and serials.
Dhakda said he was currently working on the Gujarati serial Moti Bani Nani Vahu and had come to Ahmedabad in connection with acting work.
Investigators said the accused had deliberately avoided returning openly to Ahmedabad in the initial years after absconding because he had earlier been imprisoned in the city before being transferred to Mehsana jail following issues inside the Ahmedabad prison.
“From Patan, he went to Mumbai, where he created an entirely separate identity for himself,” Dhakda said.
Police said Modi adopted the name “Twinkle Mukundbhai Dave” around 2015 to avoid detection. “He stated that if he had kept his old name, he could have been found by searching records, and therefore he naturally kept this name for himself,” the officer added.
Police said the accused managed to evade authorities for years despite maintaining a visible public career in films, serials and theatre.
Dhakda said investigators first questioned him after receiving information that a wanted accused was present in Ahmedabad, but initially failed to establish his identity.
“However, when we confirmed his previous MO and certain identifying marks recorded during earlier arrests, it was confirmed that he was the same accused,” he said, adding that Modi later confessed during detailed interrogation that he had never surrendered after parole.
The officer said Modi’s brother had also been jailed with him in the past, while he and his wife divorced in 2010.
Dhakda also said the accused told police he had suffered from depression during his imprisonment and had been undergoing medication.
“As per how we found him currently, he was in a normal look, but from his old history and some serials, we have seen many different kinds of roles played by him,” Dhakda said.
Police said further investigation is underway.
–IANS
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