Murder convict who jumped parole, worked in bollywood arrested

A murder convict, who jumped parole in 2014 and allegedly built a parallel life as an actor in Bollywood and Gujarati cinema after changing his identity, was arrested by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch, police said on Thursday (May 21, 2026).

The accused, Hemant Modi, 53, was apprehended on Wednesday near a metro station. According to police, Modi was serving a life sentence in Mehsana District Jail in connection with a 2005 murder and rioting case registered in Ahmedabad. He was granted 30-day parole by the Gujarat High Court in 2014 but failed to return to custody upon its completion. The High Court then declared him a parole absconder in July that year, stated a release from the City Crime Branch.

“During his decade-long absconding period, Modi maintained a highly active and visible career in the entertainment industry, appearing in major Bollywood productions such as Thugs of Hindostan alongside Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan, and Jayeshbhai Jordaar starring Ranveer Singh,” the Crime Branch said.

Modi will now be handed over to Mehsana District Jail staff to serve the remainder of his life term.