Observing that there was sufficient circumstantial evidence, the Bombay High Court on Tuesday rejected the bail plea of naval officer Emile Jerome, convicted in the Neeraj Grover murder case.
"There is sufficient circumstantial evidence. At the most we can expedite hearing on the appeals filed by the accused against the conviction and the state government's appeal seeking enhancement of sentence," a division bench of Justices V. M. Kanade and M. L. Tahalayani observed.
Rejecting the bail plea, the bench expedited hearing of the appeals and posted it for hearing in February.
The court had on the last hearing remarked that there was enough circumstantial evidence and that the trial court had gone on a wrong footing in the beginning itself by strongly relying on the retracted confession of co-accused Maria Susairaj.
The trial court had acquitted both Jerome and his fiance Susairaj on murder charges after observing that it was not a premeditated murder.
Jerome was convicted for culpable homicide and sentenced to ten years imprisonment and Susairaj was convicted on lesser charge of destruction of evidence and sentenced to three years imprisonment. Since she had spent more time in jail as an undertrial, Susairaj was freed a day after the sentencing.
The high court has admitted appeals filed by Jerome and Susairaj against their conviction and also an appeal by the state government seeking enhancement of their sentences.