Keenan-Reuben Murder Case: Sessions Court Adjourns Matter to 5 May

The families of Keenan Santos and Reuben Fernandez await justice, nearly five years after their murder.

The court is likely to pronounce a verdict in the Keenan Santos and Reuben Fernandez murder case. (Photo Courtesy: Facebook Group/ Keenan Santos)

The Mumbai sessions court, which was hearing the Keenan-Reuben murder case, has adjourned the matter till 5 May.

Valerian Santos, Keenan’s father, said he wanted the strictest punishment for his son’s killers.

All that I want is a good judgment, nothing less than life imprisonment until death. I would not ask for capital punishment because I know it’s not rarest of rare case (Keenan-Reuben murder); I understand the law.

Valerian Santos (Photo: ANI screengrab)

The sessions court was supposed to pronounce a verdict in the Keenan Santos and Reuben Fernandez murder case on Monday, nearly five years after their murder.

On 20 October 2011 Keenan and Reuben were attacked outside a restaurant in Amboli when they tried to step in and protect their female friends from a group of men. The boys were stabbed repeatedly.

Keenan succumbed to his injuries on the same day, while Reuben died ten days later.

We have suffered a lot in these years and punishment to these boys is the only thing that will give us some relief. We know our son will not come back, but we expect his killers to get punished.

<a href="http://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai/verdict-likely-in-keenan-reuben-murder-case-today/story-T4NYRkch1bw29X2ZxwTo3L.html">Valerian Santos, Keenan’s Father to the Hindustan Times</a>

Santos said the family has faith in the judiciary.

The case was shifted to a fast-track court in 2012 after it had already been dragged for four years.

We were given an assurance that the case would be expedited. But nothing happened for two years. The government too had forgotten its promises. Nothing moved as promised. I had to run from pillar to post at every hearing to get justice for my son. They should think about the victim’s family. We were given promises by the then Chief Minister, but everything turned out to be a farce. There is a need to change the system.

Valerian Santos to the Hindustan Times

Once Reuben and Keenan stepped in for their friends the men went away, only to return with ‘reinforcements’. They launched a brutal assault on Keenan and Reuben.

The four accused in the case – Jitendra Rana, Sunil Bodh, Satish Dulhaj and Dipak Tival – were arrested the next day.

In October, the fast-track court at Sewri framed murder, conspiracy and molestation charges against the accused.