Ahmedabad jewellers allege ₹10 lakh extortion by journalist, Crime Branch probe underway

In a case that has sent ripples through the city’s business and media circles, a well-known journalist from a reputed Gujarati digital news website has been named in a complaint filed at the Ahmedabad Crime Branch. The journalist, Dirghayu Vyas, has been accused of demanding ₹10 lakh from a group of jewellers in the name of ‘settling’ a police investigation against them, and later threatening them with GST raids and negative publicity if they refused to pay more.

As per the FIR filed on Thursday by Paresh Nagindas Soni (49), a jeweller from Maninagar who runs a gold ornament workshop at Sahajanand Complex, Ratanpol, the ordeal began with a business dispute. Soni and his partners Kamlesh aka Kamal Keshavji Jadav and Gulzarbhai, had placed an order for ornaments that later snowballed into a conflict with other traders. The matter reached the Ahmedabad Crime Branch, which called the partners for preliminary inquiry.

It was at this stage, Soni says, that they were introduced to Vikal Ilyasbhai Pathan, a lawyer known in local trading circles. Vikal, according to the complaint, told them the matter was ‘sensitive’ and would need to be handled carefully at the Crime Branch. He allegedly hinted that “influential people” including a journalist, would have to be paid to resolve the issue.

On September 30, around 4 pm, Soni and his partners met Vikal at his office near Lucky Tea Hotel. “He told us that journalist Dirghayu Vyas from a reputed Gujarati digital news website was handling the matter. Unless we paid ₹10 lakh in cash immediately, our application at the Crime Branch would not be disposed of,” the complaint states.

Trusting his word, the jewellers claim they handed over ₹10 lakh in cash. But days later, when the police probe remained active, they pressed Vikal and the journalist for answers. What they say they got instead was a threat.

“Dirghayu Vyas told them not to call him again. He said he knew that we were running second-rate gold businesses and that he would get a GST raid done on our workshops. He threatened to defame us in the media and teach us a lesson through the Crime Branch,” Soni has stated in his complaint.

The FIR accuses Vyas of extortion, cheating and criminal intimidation, saying the jewellers had been duped with false promises of police protection and then coerced with the threat of media exposure.

Crime Branch officials confirmed the registration of the case and said the probe is on. “We are verifying the money trail and the alleged role of intermediaries. Statements of all involved are being recorded,” a crime branch officer said.

Attempts to reach both Vyas and Vikal for their comments were unsuccessful.

The Crime Branch investigation continues, with officials saying they will examine whether there was collusion and if similar complaints have surfaced in the past.