A Bhavnagar court delivered a swift landmark judgment by sentencing accused Faisal Lakhani to life imprisonment until his natural end for the brutal murder of 40 years old Kajal Baraiya. The entire legal trial came to conclusion in just 31 days after the charge sheet was filed.
The tragic incident occurred on September 3, at the Bhavnagar State Transport bus stand, where Faisal violently attacked Kajal over suspicions regarding her close connection with another man named Ravi Baraiya alias Ravi Bada. Ironically, Kajal had helped Faisal get released from prison shortly before the crime. The public assault was recorded on local CCTV cameras, causing widespread outrage across when the video surfaced online.
Following the attack, Faisal tried to cover up the crime by rushing Kajal to the hospital while falsely claiming she was injured due to falling on a stone slab. He aggressively demanded that no post-mortem be conducted. However, Kajal succumbed to her severe injuries, leading the Neelambag police to register a murder case on September 4. Investigators immediately formed a Special Investigation Team comprising Police Inspector Deepak Undhad, Police Sub-Inspector A.G. Breed, and key officers to unravel the facts.
As part of their investigation, police officers conducted a thorough crime scene reconstruction at the busy bus terminal to piece together the exact sequence of events, matching CCTV feeds with forensic evidence. Forensic experts verified that the physical injuries were completely inconsistent with a simple fall, effectively shattering Faisal’s initial cover story.
To delay the judicial process, Faisal attempted a desperate scheme directly from prison. Reports indicate that he called his family members to coordinate the abduction of the primary witness, Ravi Baraiya, just days before his scheduled court testimony. Faisal’s brother Didu kidnapped Ravi in an autorickshaw and hid him away with help from their mother, Shehnazben, to ensure he missed his court summons. However, prompt police action alerted to the kidnapping forced the captors to release Ravi, enabling him to deliver decisive evidence in court shortly after.
Another pivotal moment occurred when investigators located Kajal’s seven-year-old son near Peepal Garden and brought him to testify. Before the judge, the young boy clearly stated that Kajal was his mother and firmly rejected Faisal as his father, naming Vinod as his actual parent. This emotional yet clear testimony provided crucial context to the prosecution’s case led by Special Public Prosecutor Utpal Dave.
In total, 31 witnesses gave statements, supported by physical testimony from nearby pan parlor operators, mobile shop owners, and four independent panchas. Strong technical proof, paired with physical evidence gathered from the reconstructed crime scene, left no room for doubt regarding Faisal’s direct guilt.
A viral footage surfaced showing PI Deepak Undhad taking strict, direct action while handling the accused in custody. The officer’s unyielding stance against violent crime earned widespread attention and praise across social media platforms.
On November 5, the court formally pronounced its verdict, directing that Faisal Lakhani remain behind bars for the rest of his natural life. Meanwhile, his mother and brother remain locked in the district jail as legal proceedings continue against them for their role in the witness kidnapping conspiracy.
