Grover murder case: Jerome challenges his conviction in HC

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A fortnight after being sentenced to ten years jail term in the murder case of TV executive Neeraj Grover, former navyman Emile Jerome has moved the Bombay High Court challenging his conviction and blaming Kannada actress Maria Susairaj for the offence.

"We have filed an appeal in the High Court against the sessions court order. The appeal would come up for hearing on July 25 along with Jerome’s bail application," his lawyer Wahab Khan said.

On July 1, a sessions court had convicted Jerome for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and had sentenced him to ten years rigorous imprisonment. Jerome's fiancé and Kannada actress, Maria Susairaj, a co-accused in the case, was, however, held guilty only under the charge of destruction of evidence and awarded a three-year sentence.

Susairaj was let-off from jail two days after the conviction, as she had already undergone the sentence period.

Pinning the blame on Susairaj, Jerome, in his appeal has said: "That motive, if any, was with the original accused No. 1 (Susairaj) for committing the offence and not with the applicant (Jerome)."

The appeal further states that the prosecution had not been able to ascertain the time of Grover’s death, and hence, the possibility that the victim was already dead, when Jerome landed in Mumbai, cannot be ruled out.

It further alleges that the investigating agency (Crime Branch) had planted evidence like the knife and plastic can, in which, kerosene was taken to burn the body.