Sometimes real life turns stranger than Bollywood scripts itself, and the story of Hemant Modi honestly sounds exactly like one of those crime thrillers where the villain disappears into a completely new identity. Gujarat Police on Wednesday arrested the 53-year-old murder convict who had allegedly spent almost twelve years escaping authorities while quietly building a career in films and theatre. What shocked many people even more was that during his years on the run, Modi reportedly appeared in Bollywood projects alongside stars like Aamir Khan, Amitabh Bachchan and Ranveer Singh. The arrest has now exposed a double life that feels almost impossible to believe at first glance.
According to Gujarat Police, Hemant Modi was originally convicted in a murder and rioting case linked to a violent clash in Ahmedabad back in 2005. He was later sentenced to life imprisonment in 2008 along with several others involved in the incident. The case reportedly started from a local dispute connected to an allegedly illegal staircase near a chawl area, but the fight turned deadly after a man named Narendra Kamble was killed during the confrontation. While serving his sentence in Mehsana District Jail, Modi was granted 30 days parole in 2014. Instead of returning to prison after parole ended, he vanished completely.
From Fugitive to Film Sets: How Hemant Modi Became ‘Twinkle Dave’
Police say Modi carefully changed locations and identities to stay hidden from authorities for years. After briefly staying in Patan, he shifted to Ahmedabad in 2015 and reportedly adopted the name “Twinkle Dave.” Under this new identity, he slowly blended into public life instead of hiding in isolation like most fugitives usually do. In a strange twist, he eventually moved to Mumbai in 2017 and entered the entertainment industry as a supporting actor. That decision surprisingly helped him disappear in plain sight because nobody around him apparently knew about his criminal background.
Over the next several years, Modi appeared in projects including Thugs of Hindostan and Jayeshbhai Jordaar. He also worked in Gujarati films, theatre productions and regional web series while continuing to evade police. Authorities stated that he remained active in stage plays like “Yugpurush” and “Gandhi Viruddh Godse,” making his public presence even more unbelievable considering he was officially declared a parole jumper years earlier. The fact that someone could work openly inside the entertainment industry for so long without getting caught has now become one of the biggest talking points surrounding the case.
Police Finally Tracked Him Down After Return to Ahmedabad
The long chase finally ended this week when the Ahmedabad crime branch arrested Modi near a metro station in the city. Reports say he had recently moved back to Ahmedabad in 2025 and started living in the Gheekanta area, which eventually brought him back onto the police radar. Investigators reportedly monitored his movements before taking him into custody. He will now be sent back to Mehsana District Jail to complete the remainder of his life sentence.
The story has instantly grabbed attention online because of how surreal the entire situation sounds. Bollywood has often made films about criminals creating fake identities and living secret lives, but seeing something similar unfold in reality has left many people stunned. What makes the case even stranger is that Hemant Modi wasn’t hiding in remote areas or staying underground quietly. Instead, he was acting in movies, working on stage productions and moving through the entertainment industry while remaining a wanted convict for more than a decade.
