Gujarat Court Sentences Serial Killer to Life for 2019 Jeweller Murder
A Gandhinagar sessions court has delivered a life imprisonment sentence to alleged serial killer Madan Nayak, who operated under multiple aliases including Vishal, Mahesh, and Monish, for the murder of a jeweller in June 2019. The 43-year-old, accused of killing four people in total, was tried solely on circumstantial evidence in this case.
Details of the Case and Investigation
According to case details, the victim, Vishal Patel, ran a jewellery shop in the Krishnanagar area of Ahmedabad and was reported missing by his family on June 29, 2019. In September 2019, the CID (Crime) informed city police that Nayak had been arrested on September 15 in connection with three other murders. During interrogation, Nayak confessed to killing Patel as well.
Nayak revealed to investigators that he had known Patel since 2014 and had routinely sold him jewellery stolen from his victims. In his confession, he detailed how he called Patel from a telephone booth in Naroda Gam and arranged a meeting at SP Ring Road. He then drove Patel to Dehgam Road, shot him in the head, dumped the body in a roadside gutter, and set the car ablaze at a deserted location to destroy evidence.
Acting on Nayak's confession, police launched an investigation and recovered the skeletal remains of Patel's body from the gutter near Dastan Farm. Forensic analysis confirmed that the remains belonged to Patel, and his burnt car was also found at the scene.
Trial and Sentencing
The trial against Nayak was conducted entirely based on circumstantial evidence. Additional public prosecutor Ajay Trivedi examined 42 witnesses and submitted 40 pieces of documentary evidence, including forensic science laboratory (FSL) reports, to establish Nayak's guilt. The court concluded that Nayak knew Patel, killed him, disposed of the body, and torched the car to destroy evidence.
During sentencing, Nayak appealed for leniency, citing his responsibility toward his wife and son. The prosecution argued for the maximum penalty as a deterrent. However, Additional Sessions Judge M P Purohit ruled out the death penalty, stating the case did not meet the threshold of the "rarest of rare" doctrine.
The court said, "After considering the circumstances of the accused, it is not deemed appropriate to impose the maximum penalty of death, as there are no circumstances that classify the offence as one of the rarest of rare cases. Therefore, the minimum sentence of life imprisonment is considered appropriate."
Three other murder cases are still pending against Nayak, highlighting the ongoing legal proceedings against the alleged serial killer.
