Neeraj Grover murder case

Neeraj Grover
Born	Neeraj Grover (1982-02-23)23 February 1982 Kanpur
Disappeared	May 7, 2008 (aged 26) Malad, Bombay
Died	May 7, 2008(2008-05-07) (aged 26) Bombay
Cause of death	Homicide
Body discovered	Amgaon village in Manor
Resting place	Bombay
Citizenship	India
Education	Degree in Mass Communication
Alma mater	Amity University
Occupation	TV Executive
Employer	Synergy Adlabs
Known for	Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain
Notable work	Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain
Parent	Mr. Amarnath Grover & Mrs. Neelam Grover

Neeraj Grover was a television executive working for Synergy Adlabs, a Mumbai based production house. He was found killed in May 2008; a crime for which Kannada actress Maria Susairaj and her her boyfriend Lieutenant M.L. Jerome Mathew were arrested. Mathew was eventually found guilty of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and for destroying evidence. Susairaj was acquitted of the killing itself, but found guilty of destroying evidence. The killing and subsequent trial received significant press coverage in India.

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Leads to prime suspects

Some circumstances leading police to arrest Mathew and Susairaj included the following:

Accidentally answering a call

Maria Susairaj, along with Jerome Mathew, on her way to Manor in a friend's borrowed car (to dispose of Grover's body) accidentally answered a call on Grover's mobile while she was pulling it out of her denim pocket to see who the caller was. She had kept Grover's mobile with her after the murder. Although she immediately disconnected the call, police were able to trace the location at which the call was answered. This turned out to be a key lead for police as Susairaj, during questioning before her arrest, had told the police that she was shopping in Dadar when she was actually on her way to Manor.

Lying about borrowed car

Susairaj had initially told police that she borrowed a Santro car from Mathe's friend "Jitesh" for going out shopping. Jitesh was a Colaba-based Naval Officer and was at sea at the time of the incident. Susairaj requested Jitesh to stand by her if the police questioned him. It was stated that Jitesh refused to lie as his travel records would prove otherwise. Susairaj then admitted to the police that she lied for personal reasons and it was then she revealed the true name of the car owner: Kiran Shreyas. Shreyas told the police that Susairaj had borrowed the car saying she wanted to go to Dadar for shopping with Mathew

Police later brought the car, car owner & witnesses to the police station where Susairaj broke down and gave her version of the crime, up to and including the disposal of the body.

Answering friend's call

One of Grover's friends called up on his mobile and Susairaj answered the call. She mumbled that Neeraj had "gone out" forgetting his cell phone with her. The friend later came and picked up the cell phone a couple of days later. This act of Susairaj also made her a prime suspect.

1,000 calls in 13 Days

Crime branch found out that Mathew had called Susairaj nearly 1,000 times between the 7th to the 20th of May, 2008. The Crime Branch got suspicious and questioned Susairaj.

Investigation Lapses

Weapon

The knife, which was thrown into a garbage chute, was not recovered for several days despite police searching the house several times. However, they had earlier sent a couple of seized knives for forensic tests to look for DNA samples. The tests turned out to be negative.

Naval Training

On the 8th of May, 2008, Mathew was called for questioning by the Malad police. He told them he had come to Mumbai for a Naval training session. The police did not verify his claim with the naval authorities.

Bloodstains ignored

Mathew and Susairaj had repainted a wall to hide the bloodstains. Malad police did not ask them why one wall was coloured differently from the rest.

The Verdict

Maria Susairaj was found not guilty of the killing, but guilty of destroying evidence and was sentenced to a maximum three years' imprisonment. She was released the following day with time served.

Jerome Mathew was found guilty of culpable homicide not amounting murder and of destroying evidence. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the killing, and 3 years for destroying evidence. The sentences will be served concurrently, with 3 years time served already applied.

The court has also fined Susairaj and Mathew Rs. 50,000, to be paid to Neeraj Grover's family.

Judge's observations while dictating verdict

• It's crystal clear from circumstances that the incident happened in Flat 201 at Dheeraj Solitaire building (where Maria was staying). Neeraj Grover was with Maria in flat 201
• Jerome visited flat 201 at 7.30 am on the morning of 7th May 2008
• Prosecution has not proved the time of Neeraj's death (which means that the prosecution has not proved Neeraj died before Jerome's arrival in the flat)
• There was no reason for accused Maria to kill Grover
• Jerome made a call on Maria's phone
• Evidence shows he was nervous and upset after that
• Despite of knowledge that disciplinary action could be taken against him, Jerome suddenly flew to Mumbai without taking leave
• There was no conspiracy between Maria and Jerome. Maria had no motive
• Maria went to Hypercity mall and purchased articles. She also borrowed a Santro car from her friend
• Neeraj Grover's blood was found in the Santro car (that Jerome and Maria drove to Manor to dispose his body)
• Maria could have run away when she went to borrow a friend's car. She went to the extent of going ahead with the plan
• As she had rented a flat, it was not possible for her to run away from there
• Maria, Jerome were both responsible for disposing Neeraj's body
• Grover was alive when Jerome came to Maria's place
  — Judge N W Chandwani's observations as reported by NDTV.com

Aftermath

Various outlets of the national press of India reported public outrage on what was considered a light verdict and sentencing for Susairaj. At least one story continued the discussion by questioning the sensationalized manner of reporting up to the conclusion of the trial. In what was described as a "moral lynching" of Susairaj, national news outlets wrote particularly scathing indictments of the actress following the verdict. Times Now called her the "Lady Macbeth of the Grover case ... (who) has gone an extreme length to feed her ambition even if it means putting her jilted lover in the dock and moreover taking the life of an innocent." Attorneys for both the convicted parties as well as the prosecution announced their intentions to file appeals.