State seeks re-arrest of Susairaj in Grover murder

The state government on Tuesday filed two separate appeals of 40 pages each, seeking charges of murder against the accused Emile Jerome and Kannada actress Maria Susairaj in the murder of television executive Neeraj Grover in May 2008.

The state government on Tuesday filed two separate appeals of 40 pages each, seeking charges of murder against the accused Emile Jerome and Kannada actress Maria Susairaj in the murder of television executive Neeraj Grover in May 2008.

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The appeals sought enhancement of sentence for Jerome and re-arrest of Susairaj under section 390 of CrPC.

The appeals contend the crime was not a consequence of sudden provocation as held by the trial judge, but a premeditated criminal conspiracy.

The appeals say that the judge erred in holding that if the murder was pre-planned, Jerome would not have used a kitchen knife to kill the victim, and reasons that Jerome had to travel by air from Cochin to Mumbai on the night of the murder and could not have carried any weapon due to security checks.Ruling out the role of provocation, the appeal states Jerome knew Susairaj was with Neeraj, and he had sufficient time to regain self-control while travelling from Cochin to Mumbai. It further states that Susairaj and Jerome were in constant touch over the phone and Jerome left Cochin with the intention to kill Neeraj.