Neah Verma

Case information

Name: Neah Verma Age: 23 Occupation: beautician / salesgirl for beauty products Sentence date: December 13, 2013 Co-accused: Rahul Choudhary (24), Manoj Atodh / Manoj Atod (32)

Timeline

• June 19, 2011 — Ashlesha Deshpande (21), her mother Megha (42), and her grandmother Rohini Phadke (70) were murdered in their home in Srinagar Colony / Sri Nagar locality by armed assailants who had entered their house for robbery.
• December 13, 2013 — The district court sentenced Neha Verma, Rahul Choudhary, and Manoj Atodh to death.
• December 14, 2013 — Reports described the triple murder death sentences and the court’s findings.

Background

Neah Verma was held to have plotted the robbery and entered the Deshpande residence by befriending Megha after requesting her for a job. Neha was described as a beautician and as a salesgirl for beauty products. The killings were carried out against three women from the Deshpande family across three generations: Ashlesha Deshpande (21), Megha Deshpande (42), and grandmother Rohini Phadke (70).

The offence

Neha Verma, together with accomplices Rahul Choudhary and Manoj Atodh, entered the Deshpande residence in Srinagar Colony / Sri Nagar locality on June 19, 2011, with the purpose of robbery. The court held that the accused murdered the three women after opening fire. The court also observed that, apart from shooting with a gun, the accused stabbed the victims with knives. The accused decamped with cash and valuables, including Rs 1.5 lakh in cash, ornaments worth Rs 5 lakh, and two ATM cards.

Investigation

The prosecution presented a 58-page chargesheet in court and cited greed for money as the motive. The chargesheet stated that the trio accused wanted to make quick bucks and chose the way of crime. The chargesheet stated that Neha wanted to settle down with her boyfriend Rahul, was fascinated by a luxurious lifestyle, and identified Megha as a target at Orbit Mall when she was wearing heavy gold ornaments. The chargesheet also stated that the accused executed the crime after consuming a cocktail of sedative drugs, whisky and beer. The prosecution presented 36 witnesses. The court said it was convinced by 96 circumstantial evidences presented by the prosecution to establish charges against the accused.

Arrest and recovery

The police got an early lead after they learned that Rahul, who accidentally fired at his foot while committing the crime, got himself admitted to a local hospital. Police got a lead after they found Neha trying to use an ATM card robbed from the Deshpande house in the MIG area. On information given by Neha, police arrested Rahul alias Govinda and Manoj Atod / Manoj Atodh. Police recovered the booty along with stolen ATM cards, a pistol, and two knives from the accused.

Trial

Judge D N Mishra held Neha Verma (23), Rahul Choudhary (24), and Manoj Atodh (32) guilty of murdering three members of the Deshpande family: Ashlesha Deshpande (21), Megha (42), and Rohini Phadke (70). The court convicted the trio for murder, dacoity and trespass. The court also held Manoj guilty under Section 25 of the Arms Act. The Public Prosecutor Ravindra Singh Gaud / Ravindra Gaur said the accused were held guilty under Section 302, 397 and 449 of the IPC.

The court described the case as “rarest of the rare” and said it covered the rarest of rare situation in which three helpless women of three generations were murdered for quick money. The court observed that convicts do not deserve mercy and that the accused fired bullets and stabbed the women multiple times. The court observed that the victims were shot and stab wounds covered their entire bodies. The judge said:

“For the greed of some rupees, three hapless women of a family were killed in a very cruel manner…. the culprits deserve no mercy.”

Additional district and session judge / Special Court judge D N Mishra also characterized the crime as “rarest of the rare,” stating that three innocent women of three generations carrying out their family responsibilities without any dispute were killed by the accused for instant monetary gains.

Sentencing

On December 13, 2013, the district court awarded death sentences to Neha Verma, Rahul Choudhary, and Manoj Atodh. The court held that it was the first time a woman had been given capital punishment by the Indore district court and that another precedent was set by awarding death to three people in the same case. The court handed down the death sentence to all three accused as it termed the crime as “rarest of the rare.”

Aftermath

Niranjay / Nirajnay Deshpande, husband / father of late Megha Deshpande, expressed satisfaction over the court’s order and thanked the prosecution and police department for getting justice for his family. He said: “I had full confidence in the judiciary and police did a great job,” and added that Deshpande worked with Bank of India in Pune and lived with his father there. The reports described Neha as the mastermind, and also stated that Neha hatched the plan with her lover Rahul and accomplice Manoj to loot and murder.

Other details

Sequence of events described by Public Prosecutor Ravindra Singh Gaud / Ravindra Gaur:

• Neha spotted Megha wearing expensive ornaments in a mall two days before the killings.
• She befriended Megha on the pretext of being a marketing executive of some company and obtained Megha’s phone number.
• She hatched a plot to rob Deshpande household with her lover Rahul and accomplice Manoj.
• The police got a lead after they found Neha trying to use an ATM card robbed from Deshpande’s house in MIG area.
• On information given by Neha, police arrested Rahul alias Govinda and Manoj.

Religious/identifying details given in the record:

• Rahul was referred to as Rahul Choudhary and also as Govinda alias Rahul / Rahul alias Govinda.
• The case was described as the “Sri Nagar / Srinagar triple murder case,” involving killings in Srinagar Colony / Sri Nagar locality.