Gujarat YouTuber Kirti Patel arrested in Udaipur over 'Rs 20 lakh ransom' and rape case threat

• Influencer Kirti Patel arrested for alleged extortion and threats
• Victim claims Patel demanded Rs 20 lakh, threatened false charges
• Police probing if extortion money was collected, others involved

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In a swift turn of events, controversial Gujarat-based social media influencer Kirti Patel was arrested from Udaipur in Rajasthan on Sunday, a day after a local YouTuber accused her and her associates of harassment and attempting to extort Rs 20 lakh from him. The case also involves allegations that the accused threatened to falsely implicate the victim in a rape case.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (Junagadh Rural Division) Ravirajsinh Parmar confirmed the arrest, stating that Patel was traced to Udaipur following a complaint lodged on Saturday. "She was produced before a Junagadh court which has granted one-day remand for further investigation," Parmar was cited by TOI as saying.

The police are now using the remand period to trace the other accused individuals, determine if any extortion money was actually collected and identify those who may have sheltered Patel while she was evading arrest.

The case against Patel and four others — identified as Divya Savlani, Jashpalsinh, Hanu Chavda and Veeram Mevada — was registered at the Junagadh taluka police station under charges including extortion, criminal intimidation and abetment to commit suicide.

The complainant, 27-year-old Abjal Sida, is a labourer and part-time YouTuber from Junagadh. According to the First Information Report (FIR), the dispute originated during a recent religious fair marking Maha Shivratri.

Sida alleged that Patel had participated in a sacred bath disguised as a monk, an act he and others perceived as deeply disrespectful to Sanatan Dharma. After Sida uploaded videos criticising her actions, he claimed Patel began losing followers on social media, prompting a retaliatory response.

The situation escalated rapidly when, according to the complaint, Patel and her associates began bombarding Sida with calls and messages on Instagram, using abusive language and demanding he remove his videos. The harassment allegedly culminated in a direct threat: pay Rs 20 lakh or be falsely implicated in a criminal case, including a fabricated rape charge.

Traumatised by the relentless intimidation, Sida allegedly attempted suicide twice by consuming phenyl. He first consumed the poisonous substance at his residence and later attempted the act again near the Jetpur railway bridge. He was reportedly spotted by a woman who rushed him to the Jetpur Government Hospital.

It is reported that Sida had recorded a video of his second attempt. He is currently under medical supervision, with his condition being closely monitored.

This is not the first time Kirti Patel has found herself on the wrong side of the law. Police officials stated that she has as many as 14 offences registered against her across Gujarat, including charges related to rioting and assault.

DSP Parmar added that following this arrest, Patel will also be formally taken into custody in connection with two other cases registered against her at the Bhavnath police station in Junagadh, with separate investigations proceeding concurrently.