Greeshma’s verdict in Sharon murder case today; death penalty or lifer for brutal betrayal?

Neyyattinkara: The sentencing in the Sharon Raj murder case will be pronounced on Monday. According to the chargesheet, the prime accused, Greeshma, poisoned her lover Sharon Raj by mixing a herbicide into a medicinal concoction. The Sessions Court will deliver the verdict at 11 am.

The final arguments by both the prosecution and the defense, which lasted for three days, concluded earlier. The incident that led to the case occurred in October 2022. The prosecution claims that Greeshma poisoned Sharon with paraquat-laced medicine on October 14. Sharon succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at the hospital on October 25.

‘Rare case’: Prosecution demands death sentence

The prosecution has demanded the death penalty for the accused. In their arguments, they described the case as one of the "rarest of rare”. They argued that Greeshma deserves the maximum punishment of capital punishment, citing the gravity of the crime.
"This was not merely the murder of a young man, but also the murder of love itself," the prosecution said. They labeled Greeshma as someone with a "demonic nature”, accusing her of pretending to love Sharon to lure him to her home and then committing the crime.

The prosecution pointed out that Greeshma’s first attempt to kill Sharon failed, leading her to make meticulous plans for the second attempt. Medical testimonies revealed that Sharon endured immense pain for 11 days before succumbing to his injuries. The prosecution argued that the crime was premeditated and meticulously planned.

The prosecution further highlighted Sharon's unfulfilled dreams, which they claim Greeshma cruelly destroyed. "The accused displayed no remorse at any point. Hence, she does not deserve any mercy, and the death penalty should be imposed," the prosecution insisted.

Sharon’s life and aspirations

Sharon, the son of Jayaraj from JP Bhavan at Samudayapett in Parassala, was a final-year BSc Radiology student at Neyyoor Christian College of Allied Health.

‘Greeshma exploited Sharon’s love and trust’

According to the chargesheet, Sharon and his friend Rejin visited Greeshma’s house in Kanyakumari on October 14, 2022. Greeshma served Sharon a concoction laced with paraquat. Afterward, she gave him juice to mask the bitter taste of the poison. Sharon began vomiting shortly after leaving her house and continued to feel unwell while riding back on his bike with his friend.

Initially treated at Parassala General Hospital, Sharon returned home, but was admitted again the following day after developing sores in his mouth. Despite receiving further treatment, his condition worsened as his kidneys, liver and lungs failed, leading to his death.

Sharon and Greeshma reportedly met during a bus journey to their college and started a relationship in October 2021. However, Greeshma's family arranged her marriage to a man in the military in March 2022, based on astrological predictions about her first husband’s early death.

The chargesheet alleges that Sharon and Greeshma performed ceremonial rituals of tying the sacred thread twice—once at Sharon’s house and later at a church in Vettukad—and were physically intimate at a lodge in Thriparappu. Greeshma, however, decided to end the relationship following her new marriage plans. When Sharon resisted, Greeshma plotted and executed the murder.

The charges against Greeshma’s mother Sindhu and her uncle Nirmalkumar Nair, who were initially implicated for aiding the crime, were dropped due to lack of evidence.

Greeshma pleads for leniency

During the trial, Greeshma pleaded for leniency, citing her young age (24 years) and her lack of any prior criminal history. She requested a reduced sentence, submitting her academic records to support her claim.

Crucial role of Sharon’s brother

Sharon’s brother, Shimon Raj, an Ayurvedic doctor, played a key role in unraveling the crime. He revealed that Greeshma meticulously researched poison before using the herbicide paraquat.
According to Shimon, Greeshma initially attempted to kill Sharon by overdosing him with paracetamol in juice, but that attempt failed. Determined not to fail again, she conducted extensive online research on poisons, leading her to select paraquat, a herbicide known for its slow-acting fatal effects.

Greeshma’s knowledge of paraquat’s symptoms helped her evade suspicion initially, but the postmortem revealed telltale signs unique to paraquat poisoning, such as damage to Sharon’s throat and lungs.
Shimon’s suspicions were further aroused by Greeshma’s contradictory statements and evasive responses. Her claim that she had given Sharon a herbal concoction called kokilaksham was easily disproved by Shimon’s medical expertise, as such concoctions are not lethal. His findings were pivotal in aiding the investigation and securing expert medical evaluations.

Sharon’s medical records, coupled with digital evidence from chats with Greeshma, bolstered the prosecution’s case.