Social media influence with 1 million followers arrested in Surat for extortion

Surat Police have arrested social media influencer Kirti Patel nearly a year after she was booked for allegedly extorting money from a city-based builder and attempting to defame him on social media platforms, officials said on Thursday.

Patel, who gained popularity through TikTok and boasts over a million followers on Instagram, was taken into custody from Ahmedabad’s Sarkhej area with the help of local police.

She had been evading arrest since June 2024, when an FIR was registered against her and six accomplices at the Kapodara police station in Surat.

According to police, Patel and her associates were accused of plotting to frame the builder and demand crores of rupees in ransom. The group allegedly used social media to malign the builder's image after he refused to comply.

Speaking to reporters, DCP Alok Kumar said Patel had been deliberately avoiding police by frequently switching off her phone and changing locations. A warrant had been issued against her by a Surat court, and sustained surveillance eventually led police to her hideout in Ahmedabad.

Despite being in custody, Patel was seen smiling and showed no visible signs of fear or remorse, even when presented for questioning. "In June 2024, an FIR was registered for honey-trapping, and 5 accused were there, 4 were arrested while Kirti Patel was on the run for the last 10 months... We had arested her based on the warrant issued by the court and produced here before the court. She has demanded a ransom of 2 crores from a builder," said DCP Kumar.

In addition to the extortion case, police said they have received further complaints involving Patel, including allegations of land grabbing. She is expected to be questioned in connection with those as well.

Further investigation into the matter is underway.