Mumbai: A prime witness in the 2011 murders of Keenan Santos and Reuben Fernandez was found dead in the MIDC area of suburban Andheri in Mumbai on Monday.


Avinaash Bali's body bore multiple injuries, the police said after being informed by some locals.

The killings of Keenan Santos (24) and Reuben Fernandez (29) had caused a national outrage. The two had then protested against their female friends being eve-teased at a pub in Amboli (Andheri) on October 20, 2011. This ensued a scuffle with the accused who later brought other men along to bludgeon Keenan and Reuben to death. The incident was deplored as it took place in complete public view.

 FILE PIC: Reuben Fernandes posted a picture with Keenan Santos on Facebook.

"Bali was missing for the last two-three days. He was found dead in the MIDC area in the wee hours of Monday," a senior police official was quoted by news agency PTI,

Bali had completed his deposition in the double murder case in 2014 and had supported the prosecution case till the end of the trial.

In 2016, Special Women's Court Judge Vrushali Joshi had sentenced the accused to jail for the remainder of their life.

The accused--Jitendra Rana, Sunil Bodh, Satish Dulhaj and Dipak Tival--were convicted on charges of murder, outraging the modesty of a woman and other charges of the Indian Penal Code.