33 minutes agoWriter: Rajesh Sahu
A girl who wanted to make a name in Bollywood. Came 1400 km away from home. Went here and there in search of work but could not find it. Because Hindi was scarce. Finally a person is found who gave the girl a chance, but after a few days that person is murdered. The name comes of that girl. In the 10th story of the Mudder Mystery Series, today we will tell the full story of Neeraj Grover Murder Case.
Maria left Kannada film and came to Mumbai to become a Bollywood heroine
Maria Monica Susairaj from Kochi, Kerala was a Kannada film actress. She made her debut in the Kannada film Jute in 2002. Worked in films like Excuse Me in 2003, OK Sir OK in 2004 and Ekdanta in 2007, but Maria had to make a career in Bollywood. So she broke away from Kannada film and moved to Mumbai in 2007. Hindi was scarce, so wherever people auditioning, they used to return it by saying ‘Vichaar Karenge’.
Maria worked in the Kannada film industry for four years. During this time she did not get much success, then she moved towards Bollywood.
Neeraj failed the audition but promised to pass
Neeraj Grover, 25, did mass communication and joined Synergy Adlabs or rather Star TV. It was a production house through which people were selected for acting. Neeraj was also included in the selection team. There used to be a program named “Aapna Panchvi Paas Se Tej Hain”. Shahrukh Khan used to lead it. Neeraj was in the production team of that program.
One day Maria Susairaj came in the audition of a TV serial. Neeraj called for the test and asked questions. Due to the question being in Hindi, Maria could not answer correctly. Neeraj said, Maria, here we need a person who can speak Hindi better. Because this program is in Hindi. So we will give you a chance in some other program. Neeraj got up and left. Maria took Neeraj’s number from someone in the office.
Neeraj Grover used to work in Star TV Production. Neeraj was in the production team of the show ‘Kya Aap Panchvi Paas Se Tej Hain’.
When Neeraj became a friend, he started knocking on the lover.
A few days later, Maria called up Neeraj. The conversation between the two started increasing. The meeting started. This meeting was sometimes in the restaurant and sometimes by the seaside. Maria had a boyfriend in Kochi. The name was Jerome Matthews. Jerome and Maria’s schooling took place together. They remained together when they went to college, but after that Jerome joined the Navy and Maria started working in films. Maria told Jerome about her friendship with Neeraj. Jerome did not like this friendship at all, but he did not say anything.
When we went to shift the flat, we stayed together all night.
On 6 May 2008, Maria took a new flat in Malad area of Mumbai. When Neeraj asked for help in getting the shift done, he left. At 10 pm, Maria got a call from Jerome. On the other hand, Neeraj was also talking to someone on the phone. Jerome asked what is Neeraj? Maria said no. After saying this, Maria hung up the phone. At 11.30 Jerome called again and asked did Neeraj go to his house? Instead of answering this question, Maria switched off the phone itself.
Due to suspicion, caught the flight in the night itself and came to Mumbai and murdered
Jerome was furious as Maria switched off her phone. He decided to reach Mumbai in the night itself. When I inquired about the flight, it was found that there is a flight from Kochi to Mumbai at three o’clock in the morning. Jerome caught the flight and came to Mumbai. Maria had told him the address of the new flat, so she did not face any problem in reaching Malad in that area. At 7.30 am, Mathew rings the doorbell of Maria’s new flat. Inside, Maria and Neeraj are stunned. Then Maria said, there may be an employee of the colony.
Jerome Mathew was a big officer of the Navy. He had a relationship with Maria since childhood. He used to doubt Maria a lot.
When Maria opened the door, her senses were blown away. In front stood Jerome Matthews. When he came inside without saying anything, he saw Neeraj Grover lying on the bed without clothes. A fight started between the two. Angry, Jerome took a knife from the kitchen and started hitting Neeraj. During this, when Maria tried to save, Jerome shook her and said, stay away or else I will kill you too. Neeraj was killed by Jerome’s knives.
Maria and Jerome have a physical relationship by placing the corpse in front
After the murder, Jerome and Maria had a physical relationship. At nine o’clock, both of them started thinking how to hide this dead body. Maria took her Santro car from her friend Jitesh and went to Hypercity Mall in Malad with Jerome and bought a big knife with three big airbags from there. Had dinner in a restaurant. Both returned at three o’clock and in the next one hour cut the corpse into small pieces about 300. Put it in three bags and put it in the car.
Both left on the Thane side highway with the corpse. Reached Manor in Palghar district at around 7 pm. Removed the bag from the car and put petrol on it and set it on fire. When it was felt that the corpse had been burnt, then returned from there. Jerome stayed overnight in the same flat with Maria. Caught a flight from Mumbai to Kochi on May 8 at 12.30 and went back.
Maria gave Neeraj’s phone to the police and was caught
When Neeraj did not reach office on May 8 and 9, friends called him. The phone was coming switched off. When she called Maria, she said that she had gone in the night on 7th May and did not come again. On the other hand, the family members also got the news of Neeraj’s disappearance.
Father Amarnath Grover and mother Neelam Grover got upset. On his behalf, a report of the disappearance of Neeraj was written in the police. Police started investigation. The location of the mobile was visible at Maria’s flat. When the police arrived, Maria gave the phone.
When the police interrogated Maria in custody, she confessed the whole truth in a short time. He blamed Jerome Mathew for the murder.
The first suspicion of the police went to Maria, but how would she have inquired without evidence. So Maria’s call details were retrieved. After the murder, conversation between Maria and Jerome revealed the secret. The police arrested Maria. Jerome was arrested from Kochi. When both were interrogated, both of them told the truth. The vehicle in which the body was taken was examined and blood stains were found in it. The forensic team gathered all the necessary evidence and submitted it to the court.
Maria had been in jail for a longer time than the court sentenced
After the arrest of Maria and Jerome, the trial began in the Mumbai Sessions Court. Maria confessed her crime in front of the court, but changed her statement. Maria said, “I didn’t do anything, I tried to save during Jerome and Neeraj’s fight. Jerome threatened to kill me too so I backed down.” The court heard all the arguments. Looked at all the evidence and wrote the verdict.
On 11 July 2011, the court sentenced Jerome to 10 years imprisonment under section 304 of IPC 1860. Declaring Maria guilty of destruction of evidence under section 201, the court sentenced her to three years’ imprisonment. Maria came out the day she was sentenced as she had spent more than 3 years in jail.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on both the convicts. During the sentencing, the court said, “This murder was not a planned murder. It was a murder committed in anger. Jerome did not bring any weapons. Maria tried to stop Jerome, but it did not work out.”
Jerome Mathew also came out of jail after serving 10 years.
Neeraj Grover’s family was not satisfied with this decision of the court. The family said, “It is the job of the government to challenge this decision in the High Court. We do not have enough money to fight the battle.” No challenge was made in any court. Jerome also got out of jail in 2018.
Soon after the verdict, Bollywood director Ram Gopal Varma made a film on the Neeraj Grover murder case. Named “Not a Love Story.” The film was completed in 18 days of shooting. When it was released on 19 August 2011, Ram Gopal Varma had said that Maria must watch this film.