The Bombay High Court on Thursday, 5 November 2026, upheld the murder conviction of Jitendra Rana, the prime accused in the 2011 Keenan Santos and Reuben Fernandes double murder in Mumbai's Amboli, while acquitting two co-accused of the murder charge for want of sufficient evidence. In a partial reprieve, the bench reduced Rana's sentence from life imprisonment to 20 years in jail without remission, citing his age.

The High Court's Verdict

A division bench of Justice M.S. Karnik and Justice Sandesh Patil delivered the ruling on appeals filed against a 2016 verdict by a Special Women's Court, which had sentenced all four accused to life imprisonment for the murders. The High Court acquitted co-convicts Sunil Bhot alias Chota and Deepak Tival of the murder charges but upheld their convictions on other offences. The fourth accused, Satish Dulgaj, died last year during the pendency of the appeals.

Rana, also known as Chaina and presently 40 years old, will now serve a fixed 20-year term without the possibility of remission — a reduction the bench justified 'considering his age.'

What Happened That Night in October 2011

Keenan Santos (24) and Reuben Fernandes (29) were fatally attacked with weapons in Amboli on 20 October 2011 after they allegedly confronted a group of men who were harassing their female friends. The two had gone for a party at Amboli Bar and Kitchen Restaurant in Andheri West. According to the prosecution, one of the accused left the scene after being slapped, returned with a knife, a cricket stump, and a large bamboo stick, and carried out the attack. Keenan died the same day from excessive bleeding caused by deep knife wounds. Reuben succumbed to his injuries 10 days later.

Arguments Made in Court

Defence advocates Sudeep Pasbola and Yug Chaudhry, representing the accused, argued that no molestation incident took place and that the prosecution had failed to establish a clear motive for the attack. They contended that the confrontation was a mutual fight arising from grave and sudden provocation, which, they argued, should qualify as culpable homicide under the exception to Section 300 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) rather than murder.

Special Public Prosecutor Aabad Ponda countered that witness statements, forensic evidence, and eyewitness testimony collectively proved the attack was premeditated. He emphasised that the accused's decision to leave, arm himself, and return demonstrated clear intent to kill — ruling out the defence of sudden provocation.

A Case Marked by Witness Murder and Public Outrage

The Keenan-Reuben case gripped Mumbai and triggered widespread public outrage, sparking debate about street safety and the protection of bystanders who intervene against harassment. The trial was marked by several dramatic developments, most notably the murder of Avinash Bali, a key prosecution witness, in August 2018 — a killing that cast a shadow over the integrity of the proceedings and raised urgent questions about witness protection in high-profile cases.

The trial court in May 2016 had convicted all four accused on murder charges and multiple counts under the IPC and the Bombay Police Act, including outraging modesty (Sections 354 and 509), causing hurt with dangerous weapons (Section 324), criminal intimidation (Section 506), and mischief (Section 434).

What Comes Next

With Thursday's ruling, the legal journey spanning over a decade in the Keenan-Reuben case reaches a significant milestone. The families of the victims and civil society groups who rallied around the case will now assess whether to challenge the acquittal of the two co-accused on the murder charge before the Supreme Court. The sentence reduction for Rana — the principal perpetrator — is also likely to draw scrutiny from victim-rights advocates.