June 23, 2025 03:05 pm (IST)
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Keenan-Reuben murder case: All four found guilty and sentenced to life in jail
Mumbai, May 5 (IBNS) A special women's court on Thursday pronounced life in jail for four men guilty of murdering Keenan Santos and Reuben Fernandez of Mumbai four years back, according to media reports.
On October 20, 2011, Reuben, Keenan and five others, including three girls, had visited a bar in Mumbai's Andheri area for dinner and to watch cricket match on a giant screen that was arranged at the venue.
As they stepped out of the bar and stood in front of a 'pan' shop, the four accused began to pass lewd comments.
Trouble erupted when Reuben Fernandez (29) and Keenan Santos (24) protested.
According to reports, the accused retreated only to come back with more people and fatally stab Reuben and Keenan.
Keenan died on the spot, while Reuben passed away several days later.
Incidentally, no one came to save the victims when the incident occurred, according to media reports.
About a month later, in November 2011, two eye-witnesses identified the alleged murderers. Both witnesses said they were present at the time the youths were attacked and identified the people who killed their friends.
Jitesha Rana, chief accused in the incident, and three others, Sunil Bodh, Satish Dulhaj and Dipak Tival, were arrested by the police on charges of murder, media reported.
Talking to news channel, NDTV before the verdict was passed, Keenan's father, Valerian Santos had said that only life sentence for the killers would provide closure to the two families.
"They should be given life imprisonment till death. Only then will they understand our suffering. We will suffer till our last breath," he had said.
Times of India reported that Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said, "There is direct evidence to show that the accused were eve teasing and molesting girls when the victims tried to stop it. This is a pre meditated murder as the accused had even threatened them with their life and had come back with weapons to attack them."
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