Serial Killer Gets Life for Jeweler's Murder

A Gandhinagar sessions court has handed down a life sentence to Madan Nayak, an individual accused of operating as a serial killer under various aliases. Nayak was convicted for the June 2019 murder of jeweler Vishal Patel. The court's decision was based entirely on circumstantial evidence presented during the trial.

Nayak, 43, is alleged to have killed four people in total. His arrest in September 2019 by CID (Crime) followed investigations into three other murders. During interrogation, Nayak confessed to murdering Patel, stating he had known the victim since 2014 and had previously sold him stolen jewelry.

According to Nayak's confession, he arranged to meet Patel for a transaction, then drove him to Dehgam Road, fatally shot him, and disposed of the body in a roadside gutter. He also admitted to burning Patel's car to eliminate evidence.

Investigators recovered Patel's skeletal remains from a gutter near Dastan Farm, with forensic analysis confirming the identity. Patel's burnt car was also found at a deserted location. The prosecution presented 42 witnesses and 40 pieces of documentary evidence, including forensic reports, to build the case.

Despite Nayak's appeal for leniency citing family responsibilities, the court denied the death penalty, deeming the case not to be of the "rarest of rare" nature. Three additional murder cases are still pending against Nayak.