Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch has arrested a 30-year-old man from Jetpur in connection with an alleged case of using artificial intelligence to morph a woman’s photograph and upload it through a fake Instagram account, according to a report by Sandesh.
The accused, identified as Nishant Lakhlani, was arrested in Jetpur in Rajkot district after investigators analysed technical evidence, social media activity and internet-based data linked to the case. The woman had filed a complaint with the Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch alleging that her photograph had been misused online.
According to the complaint, the accused allegedly merged the woman’s image with that of an unidentified person using artificial intelligence tools. The altered image was then uploaded to the story section of a fake Instagram account, the report said. The complaint alleged that the account and the image were used with the intention of damaging the woman’s reputation.
The case highlights how image-manipulation tools can be used in personal disputes to create and circulate misleading visual content. In this instance, the alleged misuse did not involve only the creation of an altered image; investigators also examined the digital account and online trail through which it was uploaded.
After registering the complaint, the Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch began analysing technical evidence and digital data. The investigation focused on the social media identification details and internet-based information associated with the account. Based on this analysis, the police team traced the suspected user to Jetpur and conducted a raid there before making the arrest.
The report said the accused and the complainant had been friends earlier. During their conversations, a disagreement allegedly developed between them. Police questioning reportedly indicated that the alleged image manipulation and upload were carried out as an act of retaliation following that dispute. These details remain part of the police investigation and allegations recorded in the complaint; they have not been established by a court.
The incident also shows the operational challenge faced by cybercrime investigators when online abuse crosses city and district boundaries. The complaint was registered in Ahmedabad, while the suspected user was traced to Jetpur in Rajkot district. Technical analysis of account identifiers and internet data therefore became central to identifying and locating the accused.
For residents, the case illustrates the risks created when personal photographs are combined with synthetic or manipulated imagery and circulated through social media. A fake account can make it difficult for victims to immediately identify the person responsible, while the temporary nature of social media stories can complicate the preservation of evidence. The report, however, does not provide details of the specific digital tools used, the number of times the image was viewed or whether the content remained online after the complaint.
The Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch has arrested Lakhlani and continued a more detailed investigation into the case. Further legal action will depend on the evidence collected during the investigation and the proceedings that follow.
