Grover murder: Bombay HC admits Jerome's appeal

The Bombay high court on Friday admitted an appeal filed by former naval officer Emile Jerome, challenging the 10-year sentence awarded to him for the murder of media professional Neeraj Grover. Justice R C Chavan admitted Jerome's appeal and kept his bail hearing after two weeks.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra government informed the court that it would be filing an appeal next week seeking enhancement of punishment for both Jerome and his Kannada actress and former fiancee Maria Susairaj.

While Jerome was convicted under charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, Susairaj was sentenced to three years imprisonment on a lesser charge of destruction of evidence.
Jerome in his appeal blamed Susairaj for the murder of Grover. "That motive, if any, was with Susairaj for committing the offence and not with him," the appeal said.

It further stated that prosecution had not been able to ascertain the time of Grover's death and hence it cannot be ruled out that Grover was already dead when Jerome landed in Mumbai.

According to the prosecution, Grover was stabbed to death by Jerome and Susairaj at her flat on May 7, 2008 following a fight. The duo then allegedly chopped his body into pieces and disposed it off at Manor jungle in the outskirts of the city.