Neeraj Grover case: 10 years for Jerome, 3 for Maria

A murder case that has already inspired Bollywood director Ram Gopal Varma had ended in sadness for a family mourning their son.

Three years after TV executive Neeraj Grover, known for developing TV quiz show Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain?, was brutally murdered, the Mumbai sessions court has pronounced the quantum of punishment in the case today.

Actress Maria Susairaj, who has already served three years as an undertrial is all set to walk free and her boyfriend Emile Jerome Mathew, who stabbed Grover, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison. The couple were arrested in 2008.

Grover's body was, according to court records, chopped into three hundred pieces, bagged, burnt and then dumped in Thane. The actual murder took place at Maria's residence in suburban Malad after Jerome walked in, only to find Grover with his girlfriend.

Surprisingly, Maria has also accused Jerome of raping her twice at knife-point, right after he killed Grover in a 'fit of rage'.

Grover's father, Amarnath Grover, who fought for justice for three years, has termed the verdict as ‘very disappointing’. Susairaj had called younger Grover to her residence and conspired in murdering him. She is also the mastermind, he claimed.

Susairaj's counsel said she had already completed three years (following her arrest in 2008) and is now ready to walk free.

On Thursday (June 30), while pronouncing Sessions court judge M. W. Chandwani convicted Susairaj of the lesser charge of destruction of evidence.

Jerome, a former Navy Lieutenant, was found guilty of culpable homicide not amounting to murder under section 304(1) of the IPC and section 201 (causing disappearance of evidence).

Judge Chandwani, while delivering the verdict, held that Jerome had acted on the spur of the moment and that the killing was not premeditated.

"When he entered the room he was calm. This showed he did not have intention (to murder). Obviously for a fiance, in a situation where he finds a stranger with his partner, would upset a prudent man and he would lose control," the judge had remarked, while convicting them under lighter charges.

According to the prosecution, Jerome had gone to Maria's residence in suburban Malad on May 7, 2008 where he got into a fight with Grover (26) during which the naval officer stabbed the TV executive to death. Susairaj and Jerome later cut Grover's body into pieces and disposed it in Manor forest in Thane.

'She's young and unmarried'

Lawyers for both Susairaj and Mathew made their plea on compassionate grounds.

Mathew's lawyer Abdul Wahab Khan argued that his client was a naval officer and only wanted to go back and serve the country.

Khan also claimed that it was a 'spur of the moment' attack after Mathew found Grover with his 'wife to be'.

Susairaj's lawyer, Sharif Sheikh, meanwhile asked for leniency saying his client was 'young and unmarried' and should be allowed to settle down in life. He added that she was a victim of circumstances and was not a habitual offender.

A big suitcase and air-freshners

The prosecution, who are now determined to appeal against the judgement, brought to the court's notice that Susairaj had purchased a suitcase, air-fresheners, plastic bags and bedsheets on the morning after the murder. It is alleged that the pair then chopped Grover's body into pieces and stuffed the bags with items from Susairaj's home, including bloodied curtains.