Kerala Court Sentences Greeshma to Death in Sharon Raj Murder Case
A Kerala court has sentenced Greeshma, the primary accused in the murder of 23-year-old Sharon Raj, to death. Her uncle, Nirmal Kumar, received a three-year prison term for his involvement in the case. Greeshma was also handed additional sentences, including ten years’ imprisonment for abduction and five years for attempting to mislead the investigation. The verdict was delivered by Neyyattinkara Additional Sessions Court Judge A.M. Basheer, following the duo’s conviction on January 17.
1/21/20251 min read
Greeshma was found guilty under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including Section 364 (kidnapping or abduction to murder), Section 328 (causing hurt by poison), Section 302 (murder), and Section 201 (causing the disappearance of evidence). Nirmal Kumar was convicted under Section 201, while Greeshma’s mother was acquitted due to insufficient evidence.
Sharon Raj, a final-year BSc Radiology student, had been in a romantic relationship with Greeshma, a literature student, for over a year. However, tensions arose when Greeshma’s family arranged her marriage to another man. Seeking to end the relationship, Greeshma, in conspiracy with her mother and uncle, plotted to murder Sharon. On October 14, 2022, Sharon visited Greeshma’s house in Kanyakumari, where she allegedly gave him a poisoned Ayurvedic tonic.
Sharon’s health deteriorated rapidly, and he died on October 25 due to multiple organ failure. The prosecution revealed that Greeshma, along with her mother and uncle, attempted to destroy evidence by concealing the poison bottle. The case triggered public outrage and was thoroughly investigated by a Crime Branch special team led by DySP Johnson. Greeshma was arrested on October 31, 2022, followed by her mother and uncle.
Although the Kerala High Court granted Greeshma bail on September 25, 2023, under stringent conditions, she continued to face trial. The court ultimately convicted her of murder, abduction, and destruction of evidence, leading to her death sentence.