Neyyatinkara Additional Sessions Court Judge A.M. Basheer has sentenced Greeshma, the prime accused in the infamous Sharon Raj murder case, to capital punishment. Greeshma, who committed the murder at the age of 21, is the youngest woman in Kerala to be sentenced to capital punishment. The 24-year-old’s age was not factored in by the court to avoid awarding capital punishment for the crime she committed.
Sharon Raj was poisoned by Greeshma at her home in Ramavarmanchirai, a village near the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border. The court accepted the prosecution's claim that Greeshma forced Sharon to drink a lethal concoction on October 14, 2022. Sharon was initially admitted to the Parassala Government Hospital but later succumbed to organ failure at the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College.
Before delivering the verdict, the court commended the Kerala police for conducting a meticulous and error-free investigation. The judgment spans 586 pages. The court, before announcing the judgment, said that Greeshma attempted to mislead the investigation. The court even cited her suicide attempts as part of her efforts to divert the investigation.
The court observed that Greeshma made multiple attempts to kill Sharon, including a previous incident involving a “juice challenge”. The court also ruled that her lack of prior criminal history could not be factored given the gravity of the crime she committed.
While pronouncing the judgement, Judge Basheer also highlighted Sharon’s unwavering love for Greeshma, even on his deathbed. Notably, Sharon did not name Greeshma in his dying declaration. However, the court stated that Sharon not naming Greeshma as the reason for his death in his statement was irrelevant to the case.
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Additionally, the court observed that despite being engaged to another person, Greeshma maintained a physical relationship with Sharon. It further stated that Greeshma’s actions represented a betrayal of trust and sent a harmful message to society.
Notably, last year, Judge Basheer sentenced another woman, Rafeeka, to capital punishment for the murder of 71-year-old Santhakumari on January 14, 2022. Rafeeka and Greeshma are the only women among 40 convicts in Kerala jails who have been sentenced to capital punishment.
Greeshma was found guilty under sections 302, 328, 364, and 201 of the Indian Penal Code, which pertains to murder, administering poison, kidnapping, and causing the disappearance of evidence. Her uncle, Nirmalakumaran, was also convicted in the case. He was sentenced to three years of imprisonment.
