A man convicted of murder allegedly spent nearly 12 years evading authorities while building a career in the entertainment industry under multiple fake identities. Hemant Nagindas Modi, 53, was arrested by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch after police tracked him to a rented house near Gheekanta Metro Station.
According to investigators, Modi was convicted in the 2005 Naroda murder case and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2008. While serving his sentence, he was granted a 30-day parole by the Gujarat High Court in July 2014 but failed to return to prison after the parole period ended, leading authorities to declare him a parole absconder.
Multiple Identities to Avoid Detection
Police claim Modi adopted more than a dozen aliases, including Spandan Modi, Spandan Joshi, Hemang Modi, Hemang Vyas, and Hemang Vaishnav, to conceal his identity. Investigators allege he frequently changed his appearance and even selected surnames based on the social background of producers and theatre associates to avoid suspicion.
Officials also stated that he had begun using alternate identities during his college theatre days, years before going on the run.
From Law to Acting
Before entering the entertainment industry, Modi reportedly practised law. Police say he later became involved in the 2005 Naroda murder case, which stemmed from a dispute over an allegedly illegal staircase and a shared passage. According to the FIR, Modi and several others attacked Narendra alias Nanno Kamble, who later died from his injuries. The accused were convicted in 2008.
While imprisoned, Modi was reportedly shifted from Sabarmati Jail to Mehsana Jail after witnessing the 2012 killing of gangster Chetan Patel, also known as “Chetan Battery,” inside the prison.
Active Career in Films and Television
After absconding in 2014, police say Modi initially stayed in Patan before becoming active in Gujarat’s theatre scene and later moving to Mumbai. During his years as a fugitive, he allegedly appeared in several Hindi and Gujarati television shows, web series, theatre productions, and Bollywood films.
According to Ahmedabad Crime Branch officials, his acting credits include Thugs of Hindostan, Jayeshbhai Jordaar, Metro… In Dino, and the Malayalam film L2: Empuraan. He also reportedly appeared in television shows such as Wagle Ki Duniya and Mere Sai, along with stage productions including Yugpurush and Gandhi Viruddh Godse.
Arrest in Ahmedabad
Police said the breakthrough came after receiving intelligence that Modi had returned to Ahmedabad, believing enough time had passed for him to move around without attracting attention. He was eventually located and arrested in May, bringing his 12-year period as a parole absconder to an end.
Tags: Hemant Nagindas Modi, Ahmedabad Crime Branch, Bollywood News, Crime News, Murder Convict, Parole Absconder, Gujarat Police, Thugs of Hindostan, Jayeshbhai Jordaar, Metro In Dino, L2 Empuraan, Wagle Ki Duniya, Indian Crime, Entertainment News, Ahmedabad