Thiruvananthapuram: A Kerala court on Monday sentenced a woman to death in the Sharon Raj murder case. The Neyyattinkara Additional District Sessions Court also sentenced her uncle, Nirmalakumaran Nair, the third accused in the case, to three years of imprisonment.
The woman, Greeshma, had poisoned her boyfriend to death to get rid of the romantic relationship between the two in 2022. The court termed it as the rarest of the rare case. Greeshma poisoned Sharon Raj with pesticide-laced ayurvedic decoction.
Court’s Observations:
“The act of inviting Sharon over under the pretext of sexual intimacy and subsequently committing the crime cannot be ignored. It is the State’s responsibility to ensure punishment for criminal acts. Evidence such as Sharon recording a video of the suspicious juice, despite Greeshma asking him not to record, indicates that he suspected something was wrong. Sharon fought for his life for 11 days without even consuming a drop of water,” the court said while pronouncing the quantum of sentence as reported by ANI.
The court further observed that Greeshma betrayed the trust of her boyfriend Sharon, manipulating him emotionally. She has no evidence to support claims of mental pressure from Sharon, the court said, adding, “Greeshma’s defence that Sharon had physically abused her also lacks any proof. On the contrary, Sharon had never blamed her in any messages or communications. While Sharon remained committed to the accused, she was simultaneously in contact with her fiance.”
“It is evident that the crime was premeditated and carried out without provocation. Greeshma’s cunning attempts to cover up her crime were unsuccessful. Her argument of youthful age cannot be considered in light of the severity of the crime. The evidence suggests that Sharon was unaware of Greeshma’s plan to murder him,” the court observed.
Special Public Prosecutor’s Statement:
Special public prosecutor VS Vineeth Kumari told PTI, “”Today the court has pronounced the verdict, to the effect that the first accused Greeshma has been awarded with a capital punishment, and Rs 2 lakh as fine amount. The court has found that it was rarest by the rare case and capital punishment was awarded.”
“Almost all the circumstances raised by the prosecution in the court has been accepted by the court and the defence argument pertaining to the mitigating circumstances that it will not attract a capital punishment has been rejected just by setting all the reasons. In fact, the peculiar nature of judgement is the court has just read only a few judgements pronounced by the apex court, instead the court has relied upon all the circumstances, digital, scientific, medical evidences, and even the evidences attained by the experts in the case,” he added.
VIDEO | Sharon Raj murder case: As Kerala court sentences Greeshma to death, special public prosecutor VS Vineeth Kumar says, “Today the court has pronounced the verdict, to the effect that the first accused Greeshma has been awarded with a capital punishment, and Rs 2 lakh as… pic.twitter.com/rxHW0zEwM9
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 20, 2025
Last week, a local court convicted Greeshma and her uncle for the murder. The 24-year-old convict, Greeshma, had sought leniency in sentencing by citing her academic achievements, lack of prior criminal history, and the fact that she is her parents’ only daughter, reported the news agency.
In its 586-page verdict, the court observed that there was no need to consider the convict’s age over the gravity of the crime committed. Victim Sharon Raj, was a native of Parassala in the Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala.
About The Case:
The case dates back to October 14, 2022, when Greeshma allegedly poisoned her boyfriend, Sharon Raj, by mixing poison in herbal medicine at her residence. Sharon passed away 11 days later while being treated in the ICU of a medical college.
Sharon and Greeshma had been in a long-term relationship. However, Greeshma, planning to marry another person, sought to end her relationship with Sharon. When Sharon refused to break up, it reportedly led to the murder.
Sharon’s dying declaration to the magistrate, in which he revealed he had consumed the herbal medicine given by Greeshma without suspecting any harm, was a crucial turning point in the investigation. Forensic evidence also played a pivotal role in establishing the crime.
The police filed the charge sheet on January 25, 2023, following a meticulous investigation led by a special team under then-Superintendent of Police Shilpa. The trial, which began on October 15 last year, concluded on January 3 this year. Over 95 witnesses were examined in the case.
(With inputs from agencies)
