The Ahmedabad Crime Branch apprehended a 45-year-old man who had been on the run for almost a year in connection with an extortion case at Adalaj police station in Gandhinagar district. The accused, identified as Sunil Brahmbhatt from Ahmedabad, allegedly posed as a journalist and demanded money from a spa owner.
Brahmbhatt, a resident of Hanspura in Naroda, was wanted for a case involving extortion and criminal intimidation under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The incident dates back to 2025 when he allegedly collected Rs one lakh from the spa owner after demanding Rs five lakh.
Having evaded arrest since the case was filed, Brahmbhatt was located during a recent investigation and handed over to Adalaj police for legal proceedings. Records indicate his involvement in various cases across Gujarat, including extortion, cheating, criminal intimidation, and other offenses.
The arrest is part of a trend in Gujarat where individuals falsely claiming to be journalists are involved in extortion activities. In a similar case last year, Surat police arrested 10 individuals posing as journalists in connection with a Rs 22 lakh extortion case. Investigations revealed a pattern of threats and demands for money from business owners.
In a separate incident, the Vadodara Crime Branch detained a man for extorting Rs 7 lakh by posing as a journalist during a scrap theft investigation. The accused allegedly used threats to coerce the victim into paying to avoid exposure.
Authorities in the Ahmedabad case have stated that the investigation is ongoing to uncover further details.
