Instagram influencer, accused of honeytrapping builder for ₹2 crore, gets arrested after being on the run for months
Gujarat Police arrested Instagram influencer Kirti Patel after 10 months on the run. Accused of honeytrapping a builder for ₹2 crore, Patel has 1.3 million followers on Instagram
Kirti Patel was arrested by the Gujarat Police after being on the run for 10 months. The popular Instagram influencer with 1.3 million followers is accused of honeytrapping a builder and demanding ₹2 crore as ransom.
An FIR was filed in June 2024 against Kirti and four others. While four had already been arrested, Kirti remained missing. Deputy Commissioner of Police Alok Kumar confirmed that Patel had been caught based on a court-issued warrant and presented before the court.
The alleged honeytrap case has drawn widespread attention due to Kirti’s social media fame. According to police, the investigation is still ongoing.
“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 arrested her based on the warrant issued by the court and produced her before the court. She has demanded a ransom of 2 crores from a builder,” Kumar told ANI.
Honeytrapping is a method where someone, often using charm or romance, tricks another person. The victim gets into a situation that can later be used to trap, blackmail or cheat them. They are usually forced to give money, information or some other benefit.
In many honeytrap cases, a person is made to believe they are in a romantic relationship. But, later they are threatened with photos, videos or false complaints unless they pay money or do what the trapper says.
Kirti Patel kept changing cities across Gujarat, SIM cards and IP addresses for 10 months to avoid arrest. Interestingly, she regularly posted on Instagram during this time. Last week, she posted a Reel to promote an online casino. The video gained over 6 lakh views.
In February, she posted multiple videos of her visit to Mahakumbh 2025. She is a Shree Krishna devotee who regularly posts videos with His idols.
The Surat Police, with help from cyber experts and the Ahmedabad Police, tracked her to Sarkhej, Ahmedabad. They even worked with Instagram to find her exact location.
“In these 10 months, her location kept changing constantly, in different parts of Gujarat. The IP address kept changing, as did her phone numbers and SIM cards. We also coordinated with Instagram to get her location,” NDTV quoted Kumar as saying.
Patel is also facing other complaints, including land grabbing and more extortion cases. Police will now record her statements in these cases and continue their investigation.
In a dramatic turn of events, Instagram star Kirti Patel—also known as Kirti Adalja—has been arrested by Kapodra police in Surat in connection with a sensational ₹2 crore (approximately $240,000) extortion case. Accused of employing a honeytrap scheme against a wealthy builder, Patel had been on the run for nearly a year before authorities finally apprehended her in Ahmedabad. This case has captured both public and media attention, shedding light on a disturbing pattern of online manipulation, cybercrime, and abuse of influence.
A prominent Instagram influencer with over 1 million followers, Patricia is renowned for her lifestyle content, videos, and public presence. Yet, with all that fame came a darker side. Authorities have described her as a “history-sheeter”—a term used in Indian policing that denotes multiple past offenses—who faced 10 prior FIRs before this case emerged
She is popularly referred to as Kirti Adalja in her influencer persona, and was known for making bold public statements and lavish posts, even while law enforcement was actively pursuing her
- The FIR alleges that Patel used a classic honeytrap network to lure a builder into a compromised situation. Through deceptive online conversations, she purportedly guided the victim into an intimate scenario, gathering blackmail material to extort ₹2 crore .
- While intricate details have not all been made public, such schemes typically involve manipulative seduction, collection of videos or images, followed by threats to expose the victim unless large sums are paid.
Patel managed to stay one step ahead of the law for nearly 12 months. To avoid capture, she frequently changed her location and mobile numbers, hopping from place to place
Despite her fugitive status, she kept her Instagram profile active—uploading videos, taunting followers, and issuing threats. This brazen online activity paradoxically worked against her, providing investigators with valuable clues
Police tracked her down to Ahmedabad, locating her in a home near the Sarkhej police station, ending her months-long flight from justice
The Kapodra police, based in Surat, executed the arrest operations based on existing FIRs filed last year
Patel was taken into custody in Ahmedabad and is now facing an extensive legal investigation. Authorities are expected to begin interrogating her, collecting digital and forensic evidence, and formally naming her as an accused.
Honeytrap crimes—often executed through romantic or sexual deception—have grown in India, targeting affluent or influential individuals. Here’s how Patel’s case fits into a troubling trend
History of honey-trapping gangs: In 2024, Bengaluru police dismantled a gang that extorted ₹2.25 crore from a tech professionalSimilar operations have occurred in Kerala, where couples have netted ₹2.5 crore through video-call schemes
Social media personalities—like Patel—hold public influence and trust. That adds credibility to their approach. There are documented cases of influencer couples in Kerala and Ludhiana implicated in such schemes .
Rapid online connection, video sharing, and encrypted chats have made honeytrap operations easier to orchestrate—and tougher to trace. Victims often succumb to pressure to avoid reputation damage.
Read Also : NASA and DoD Conduct 3 High-Stakes Abort Drills to Safeguard $1.5B Artemis II Lunar Mission
