Criminal8/14/2026

Avior Zaken Charged With Murdering Indian Caregiver

The State Attorney’s Office filed an indictment against Avior Zaken, 31, for the intentional murder of Indian citizen Rajiv Acharya, who cared for his grandfather. The indictment was filed with the Jerusalem District Court, and the prosecution is seeking to keep the defendant in custody until the end of the proceedings.

Key facts

•Defendant: Avior Zaken, 31
•Victim: Rajiv Acharya, an Indian citizen
•Court: Jerusalem District Court
•Charge: Intentional murder
•The prosecution is seeking detention until the end of the proceedings

What Happened According to the Prosecution’s Account

According to the prosecution, Zaken arrived for lunch at his grandfather and grandmother’s home in Jerusalem. After the meal, Acharya went to rest in his room, and shortly afterward Zaken entered. According to the indictment, during a conversation between them, he decided to kill the caregiver and wounded him with a sharp object in the neck, chest, ear and nose, intending to cause his death.

The Victim’s Final Minutes

According to the prosecution’s account, Acharya resisted, shouted and tried to defend himself. When Zaken’s grandmother asked about the shouting, he allegedly replied that the sounds were coming from the television. About a minute later, the wounded man tried to reach the living room, where he fell and died shortly afterward due to extensive blood loss.

Actions After the Incident

The prosecution claims that Zaken told his grandfather and grandmother that Acharya had killed himself. While the victim was fighting for his life, the defendant allegedly moved the rug and the wounded man himself so that the blood would not stain the rug. Afterward, according to the indictment, he changed his shirt, washed his hands, took the bloodstained clothes and the murder weapon, and left.

What Remains for the Court to Decide

Zaken is charged with intentional murder. At this stage, this is the prosecution’s account and not a judgment: the court has not yet examined the evidence or decided the question of guilt. The source does not state the case number, the exact date on which the indictment was filed, or the court’s decision on the prosecution’s request for detention until the end of the proceedings.

What this means for you

Filing an indictment means that legal proceedings have begun, but it does not in itself prove guilt. The request for detention until the end of the proceedings is considered separately: the court must decide whether the defendant will remain in custody while the case is adjudicated. The source does not include a final ruling on the merits of the charge.

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