Future head of Kalupur Swaminarayan Temple accuses wife, in-laws of ₹100 cr extortion demand, threats

A shocking family and marital dispute has escalated into a police case after the 28-year-old future Acharya of Kalupur Swaminarayan Temple in Ahmedabad lodged a complaint against his wife and in-laws, accusing them of fraud, extortion, and even threats to harm him.

According to the FIR, complainant Vrajendraprasad Pandey alleged that his wife Avantika Shukla, along with her parents, relatives and family associate Shashikant Tiwari, allegedly conspired to cheat him through a marriage arrangement.

Pandey stated that the alliance was initiated through Shashikant Tiwari, who gained the family’s trust and introduced the Shukla family from Prayagraj. The marriage proposal was accepted, and after an engagement in April 2024, Pandey married Avantika in July 2024, with due registration later that month.

However, during their honeymoon in Bali, Pandey claimed he repeatedly felt unwell after meals arranged by his wife. He further alleged that on one occasion, he caught Avantika mixing a white powder into his soup, raising suspicion of being drugged. Later, he also claimed to have seen Avantika in a compromising position with another woman inside their hotel suite.

The complainant also alleged that his wife confessed to be interested in women more than men, the record of which is in possession of the complainant.

Pandey accused his wife of demanding large sums of money on various pretexts, including her brother’s education and family needs, allegedly extracting ₹11 lakh in total. He claimed to have discovered chats on Avantika’s phone where she and a friend plotted to falsely implicate his family and extort ₹100 crore.

The dispute escalated further when Avantika’s family, along with Shashikant Tiwari, allegedly demanded her stridhan back, and upon confrontation, issued threats to Pandey’s family. In a subsequent meeting, Pandey alleged that his in-laws threatened to kill him and his relatives if he did not comply with their extortion demand of ₹100 crore.

The complaint names six accused: Avantika Ajayshankar Shukla, Ajayshankar Shukla, Vaishali Shukla, Gokul Shukla, Shashikant Tiwari, and Gopalbhai Pandey, all residents of Prayagraj and Ahmedabad. Offences invoked include cheating, criminal conspiracy, intimidation, and extortion.

Police have registered the case and begun an investigation. Authorities said statements and documentary evidence will be examined before proceeding further