Sharon Raj murder case: Convict Greeshma taken to correctional facility; public prosecutor hails judgment as

Greeshma was given capital punishment in the high-profile Sharon Raj murder case, where the court found her guilty of poisoning her 23-year-old boyfriend with pesticide-laced ayurvedic decoction. The Neyyattinkara Additional Sessions Court on Monday sentenced her to death.

The third accused, Greeshma''s uncle Nirmalakumaran Nair, has been sentenced to three years of rigorous imprisonment.

Special Public Prosecutor VS Vineeth Kumar, who represented the victim''s family, said that he was confident about the evidence being accepted by the court in this case. Lauding the judgment as "exemplary", he narrated that he argued for capital punishment for the accused in the court.

"While I was arguing before the court, I was confident that the evidence would be accepted by the court. I had argued that there is rarest of the rare case category is there in this and capital punishment should be awarded...this is an exemplary judgement," Kumar told reporters.

On the prosecution''s request, the court summoned family members as the verdict reading began. Judge A M Basheer said the accused was unaware that the evidence she himself was carrying from the time of the crime until his arrest would lead to his conviction.

A total of 259 questions were posed to the accused, and 57 witnesses were examined. The court congratulated the investigation team for conducting a thorough and efficient probe. The police adapted their investigative methods to suit the changing times. The court refrained from naming any specific officials but commended everyone involved.

The verdict spans over 556 pages.

While pronouncing the quantum of punishment, the court observed, "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 on Saturday heard the final arguments of the defence and prosecution on the quantum of punishment to SS Greeshma who was found guilty by the Court on January 17. The court also found her uncle Nirmalakumaran Nair, the third accused, guilty under Section 201 of the IPC. Her mother Sindhu was acquitted.

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. (ANI)