All four accused in the murder of Keenan Santos and Reuben Fernandez have been found guilty by a special court in Mumbai. The accused – Jitendra Rana, Sunil Bodh, Satish Dulhaj and Dipak Tival – have been sentenced to life imprisonment.
Reacting to the verdict, Keenan’s father Valerian Santos said,
After a lot of pain, the court has finally given us the verdict we wanted. The journey is still not over, we have to go further. They (guilty) will appeal to higher courts, that is their right. Even if they (guilty) appeal to God, I will still stand in front of Him and ask for justice for my son. I’m happy with life imprisonment. They should spend every moment thinking about Keenan and Reuben.
Speaking to CNN News18, former Maharashtra Chief Minister, Prithviraj Chauhan said he was happy with the court’s verdict.
I admit policing needs to be improved to prevent such cases. People should not wait for years for justice. I agree that the judicial process moved slowly.
Keenan’s father Valerian Santos recounted his tireless journey, seeking justice for his son, in a Facebook Live chat with The Quint. He also had a strong message for men, women, law & order authorities and society at large: “Don’t let the fear of the law keep you from doing good for humanity”.
While the horrors of the night Santos lost his beloved son are etched clearly in his mind, he remains proud that his son did his duty, even at the cost of losing his life.
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On 20 October 2011, Keenan (24) and Reuben (29) were repeatedly stabbed outside an eatery at Amboli when they tried to protect their female friends from a group of men. Keenan succumbed to his injuries on the same day, while Reuben died 10 days later on 31 October.
The four accused were arrested the next day. The charges against them are of murder, conspiracy and molestation.
Ujjwal Nikam has been appointed as the public prosecutor in the case.