Indian-origin man jailed in US over false Walmart kidnapping costs recordsdata lawsuit: ‘Greatest headache of my life’ – The Instances of India – Worldwide Dispatch

A Georgia man who spent greater than six weeks in jail after being accused of making an attempt to kidnap a toddler at a Walmart has filed a federal lawsuit claiming wrongful prosecution and civil rights violations.57-year-old Mahendra Patel of Acworth, Georgia, was arrested in March 2025 after a consumer informed police he tried to abduct her 2‑12 months‑previous son inside a Walmart Supercenter. He remained within the Cobb County Jail for greater than 40 days with out bond earlier than the case was dismissed later that 12 months.On February 9, 2026, Patel filed a grievance in an Atlanta courtroom. The lawsuit names 1) the lady who accused him, Caroline Miller, 2) the Acworth Police Division, 3) the Cobb County District Legal professional’s Workplace, and several other investigators. Patel’s attorneys mentioned the costs had been pursued regardless that surveillance video confirmed he did nothing unsuitable.Patel mentioned the video proved he was not responsible. It confirmed him serving to the kid, who appeared unsteady, whereas he was looking for medication. He was not making an attempt to take the boy: “I went to get Tylenol and acquired the most important headache of my life,” he mentioned at a information convention.The lawsuit asks for cash to cowl losses and punishment, plus attorneys’ charges. Patel’s attorneys say the police and prosecutors ignored or hid proof, had no good purpose to cost him, and violated his rights.In keeping with The Atlanta Journal‑Structure, Patel mentioned he was pulled over and arrested at gunpoint shortly after the Walmart incident. The grievance states he suffered misplaced wages, emotional misery, and harm to his fame due to the arrest and jail time in 2025.Patel’s lawyer mentioned the case exhibits an issue when police and prosecutors press costs even when proof suggests the individual did nothing unsuitable.