Controversial Kannada film actress, Maria – also known as Monika Susayraj – has been arrested in Mumbai on a charge of murder. In a plot worthy of the Bollywood movies she hoped to star in one day, she has been charged with killing Synergy Adlabs creative head Neeraj Grover. Her naval officer boyfriend ML Jerome Mather was also arrested in Kochi.
Kannada film director S.Govind commented on her short career in Kannada movies which began with Jhoot. “She could have moved forward in the industry,” he said, “But I think she lost focus and took some sundry roles in one or two films. She was bold, but she showed a lot of indifference in pursuing her career.”
Maria, who used to run a dance school in Mysore but dreamed of being an actress, was involved in an earlier controversy with producer Madan Mallu, who she accused of sexual harassment after he has cast her in the movie, OK Saar OK. The matter was settled out of court.
The former Principal of her college said, ”She was a very talented and good-natured girl. She was good at dancing and modelling. She couldn’t continue her studies in the college after the 1st year as she got more offers in modelling.”
A friend at her college, Abinanth Kumar, said, “Though she was in the college for just one year, she was very friendly and mixed with all easily.”
Rakesh Maria, Joint Commissioner for Crime, stated, “The crime branch police learnt Neeraj had left his home on the night of May 6 and gone to Maria Monica Susayraj’s place. Monica received a call from ML Jerome Mathew, who got angry after listening to Neeraj’s voice. Mathew reached Mumbai the next day and went to Susayraj’s flat, where he found Neeraj. They believe Mathew stabbed Neeraj with a kitchen knife several times in a fit of rage after some argument.”
Matthew then allegedly chopped the body into 300 pieces with the knife; put them in a bag along with the blood-stained bed-sheet and window drapes, and his and Maria’s clothes. He and Maria then took the bag in a car to Manor in Thane and burnt the bag in an isolated place by dousing it with petrol. During interrogation, Maria broke down and confessed the crime.
