Ahmedabad Crime Branch arrests actor Hemant Vaishnav, a parole jumper in 2005 murder case
Synopsis
A convicted murderer spent over a decade hiding in plain sight — appearing in Bollywood films with Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan, starring in television serials, and performing in theatre, all while being a declared parole jumper in a 2005 Naroda murder case. The Ahmedabad Crime Branch finally caught up with Hemant Vaishnav, 53, after confirming his identity through old arrest records and identifying marks.
Key Takeaways
Hemant Vaishnav , also known as Hemant Navnitbhai Modi , was arrested by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch on 21 May 2025 .
He had been absconding for 12 years after jumping a 30-day parole granted by the Gujarat High Court in 2014 .
He was convicted in 2008 and sentenced to life imprisonment for a 2005 murder in Naroda, Ahmedabad .
During his years on the run, he appeared in mainstream productions including Thugs of Hindostan and Jayeshbhai Jordaar , and serials such as Wagle Ki Duniya .
He adopted the alias 'Twinkle Mukundbhai Dave' around 2015 to avoid detection.
Police confirmed his identity through previous arrest records and identifying marks; he later confessed to never having surrendered after parole.
The Ahmedabad Crime Branch has arrested Hemant Vaishnav, also known as Hemant Navnitbhai Modi, a 53-year-old actor who had been absconding for 12 years after jumping parole while serving a life sentence for a 2005 murder in Naroda, Ahmedabad. He was apprehended on 21 May 2025 from a rented residence near Gheekanta Metro Station in Ahmedabad, officials confirmed on Thursday.
Background: The 2005 Murder Case
According to police, the murder stemmed from a neighbour dispute over placing a ladder on a road near a water tank in Naroda. An altercation broke out between Hemant Modi and a neighbour, Ajaybhai Patel Karin, during which Narendra Kamble sustained injuries and died at the scene. Seven people were convicted in the case and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2008. According to Inspector P.M. Dhakda of the Crime Branch, most of the convicted accused have since been released, with only one still serving his sentence.
How He Jumped Parole and Built a New Life
Modi was declared a parole jumper on 25 July 2014, after failing to surrender following a 30-day parole granted by the Gujarat High Court. He subsequently moved across Patan, Ahmedabad, and Mumbai, taking up various jobs before leveraging prior theatre experience to enter the entertainment industry. Around 2015, he adopted the alias 'Twinkle Mukundbhai Dave' to evade 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,' Inspector Dhakda said.
A Visible Career in Mainstream Films and Serials
Despite being a wanted fugitive, Modi built a notable career in Hindi and regional entertainment. According to the Crime Branch, he appeared in major Bollywood productions including Thugs of Hindostan alongside Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan, and Jayeshbhai Jordaar starring Ranveer Singh. His work also reportedly spans the upcoming films Lahore 1947 and Metro In Dino, the South Indian film L2: Empuraan, and television serials including Wagle Ki Duniya and Mere Sai. He also participated in theatre productions such as Yugpurush and Gandhi Viruddh Godse, and worked in Gujarati, Hindi, and South Indian web series. At the time of his arrest, he was reportedly working on the Gujarati serial Moti Bani Nani Vahu and had returned to Ahmedabad for a shoot.
How Investigators Tracked Him Down
Inspector Dhakda said investigators initially received a tip-off that a wanted accused was present in Ahmedabad but could not immediately confirm 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,' Dhakda said. Modi subsequently confessed during interrogation that he had never surrendered after parole. Investigators noted that he had deliberately avoided Ahmedabad in the early years of absconding, as he had previously been imprisoned there before being transferred to Mehsana jail following internal prison issues. Police also said Modi's brother had been jailed alongside him at one point, and that he had divorced his wife in 2010. He reportedly told police he had suffered from depression during his imprisonment and had been on medication.
What Happens Next
The Crime Branch confirmed that further investigation is underway. The case raises pointed questions about how a convicted life-sentence prisoner, declared a parole jumper, was able to maintain a publicly visible career across multiple mainstream productions over more than a decade without triggering detection. As scrutiny intensifies, questions are also likely to arise about verification processes in the entertainment industry.
Point of View
Including a film featuring two of India's biggest stars, without any background verification triggering an alert. It raises an uncomfortable question: if the entertainment industry's casting and production processes had any interface with official records, would this have lasted 12 years? The case also exposes gaps in inter-state coordination between Gujarat and Maharashtra police, given that the accused was publicly traceable through film credits and television appearances.
NationPress
6 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Hemant Vaishnav and why was he arrested?
Hemant Vaishnav, also known as Hemant Navnitbhai Modi, is a 53-year-old actor arrested by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch on 21 May 2025 for jumping parole while serving a life sentence for a 2005 murder in Naroda, Ahmedabad. He had been absconding for 12 years after failing to surrender following a 30-day parole granted by the Gujarat High Court in 2014.
What was the 2005 Naroda murder case?
The case involved the death of Narendra Kamble following an altercation between neighbours over placing a ladder on a road near a water tank in Naroda, Ahmedabad. Seven people, including Hemant Modi, were convicted in 2008 and sentenced to life imprisonment. According to police, most of the convicted accused have since been released.
Which films and shows did Hemant Vaishnav appear in while absconding?
According to the Crime Branch, he appeared in Thugs of Hindostan alongside Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan, and Jayeshbhai Jordaar starring Ranveer Singh. His work also reportedly includes the upcoming films Lahore 1947 and Metro In Dino, the South Indian film L2: Empuraan, and TV serials such as Wagle Ki Duniya and Mere Sai.
How did Hemant Vaishnav evade arrest for so long?
He moved across Patan, Ahmedabad, and Mumbai, taking on different jobs before entering the entertainment industry. Around 2015, he adopted the alias 'Twinkle Mukundbhai Dave' to avoid detection through record searches. He also deliberately stayed away from Ahmedabad in the early years due to his prior imprisonment there.
How did the Ahmedabad Crime Branch finally identify him?
Investigators received a tip-off that a wanted accused was present in Ahmedabad. They initially could not confirm his identity, but matched his previous MO and identifying marks from earlier arrest records. He subsequently confessed during interrogation that he had never surrendered after parole.
