Neyyattinkara Additional Sessions Court Judge AM Basheer, who pronounced the judgement, sentenced her uncle, Nirmalakumaran Nair, to three years imprisonment.
Published Jan 20, 2025 | 12:14 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 20, 2025 | 10:07 PM
File photo of Greeshma and Sharon Raj. (Supplied)
The Neyyattinkara Additional Sessions Court in Kerala on Monday, 20 January, sentenced Greeshma, convicted in the murder of 23-year-old radiology student Sharon Raj, to capital punishment.
Neyyattinkara Additional Sessions Court Judge AM Basheer, who pronounced the judgement, sentenced her uncle Nirmalakumaran Nair to three years imprisonment.
Greeshma has also been sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment under section 364 IPC and five years of imprisonment for the offence under section 201 IPC.
Justice Basheer had held Greeshma guilty under Sections 302 (murder), 328 (causing harm to a person using poison or other harmful substances), 364 (kidnapping or abducting in order to murder) and 201 (destruction of evidence, or providing false information to protect an offender from legal punishment) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Nirmalakumaran Nair, the third accused, was found guilty under Section 201 of the IPC.
Even though the sessions court awarded capital punishment to Greeshma, it will have to be confirmed by the Kerala High Court, mandated under Section 366 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). The punishment couldn’t be executed unless confirmed by the high court.
In the 586-page judgement, Justice Basheer said that Greeshma betrayed Sharon Raj and added that there are 48 circumstantial evidence against Greeshma.
The judge also accoladed the Kerala Police for collecting circumstantial evidence, digital evidence and scientific evidence to prove the crime
The judgement also highlighted that the attempt to murder charge (IPC, section 307) has been proven against Greeshma.
Justice Basheer added that the court could not consider the convict’s age and the argument that the convict was not involved in any crimes before
“The murder was committed without any provocation. Sharon Raj even in his death bed didn’t want to put Greeshma in trouble. Despite the fact that for 11 days Sharon Raj couldn’t even take even a drop of water. Greeshma planned the murder step by step,” read the judgement.
Earlier, Greeshma’s mother, Sindhu, was acquitted due to insufficient evidence.
Key testimony from Sharon’s friend and his deathbed statement to a magistrate were critical to securing the convictions. The defence, however, highlighted inconsistencies in the investigation and suggested Sharon may have consumed the poison voluntarily.
Sharon’s parents, expressing disappointment over Sindhu’s acquittal, hinted at filing an appeal in the Kerala High Court.
Following the court’s judgement, Investigation Officer (IO) Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) KJ Johnson told the media that the prosecution has convinced the court that the case is rarest of rare.
He also added that the investigation team tasted success in connecting the evidence and unravel the crime.
“The chain of events started from the juice challenge video, shot by Sharon Raj, in which Greeshma was found with two bottles of juices. One of the bottles had juice laced with paracetamol. The colour change was visible. Sharon didn’t drink that juice because of the taste difference. We began from that,” said Johnson.
He also added that Greeshma had done meticulous research on slow poisoning and finalised on paraquat pesticide. She found through her research that upon consuming paraquat the traces of it couldn’t be traced after 24 hours.
“Greeshma during questioning behaved like a seasoned criminal. It was only because of evidence-based questioning and scientific evidence that she was broken,” said Johnson.
What began as a love story ended in betrayal, pain, and a tragic death that has shaken an entire community.
Sharon, a 23-year-old vibrant young man, spent his final days battling unimaginable physical agony after consuming a poisoned drink given by Greeshma.
The shocking premeditated act unfolded in the most unsuspecting manner and revealed a sinister twist in a love story gone wrong.
On 14 October 2022, Sharon, accompanied by his friend Rejin, visited Greeshma at her home.
During the visit, Greeshma offered Sharon a homemade herbal decoction. Shortly after consuming it, Sharon began to vomit violently. The symptoms escalated rapidly. He returned home physically drained, unable to eat or even swallow water.
Over the next few days, Sharon’s condition worsened. Medical evaluations at Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College revealed severe oesophagal burns caused by toxic ingestion. He ultimately died of organ failure on 25 October.
While Sharon struggled to survive, he never accused Greeshma, even when repeatedly asked by doctors if he had consumed anything unusual.
Despite the mystery surrounding Sharon’s illness, his family’s suspicions grew. They approached the police, alleging foul play involving the food and drink provided by Greeshma.
Investigators soon uncovered evidence of Greeshma’s shocking betrayal. Confronted with the evidence, Greeshma confessed to lacing the decoction with poison, an act meticulously planned to end Sharon’s life. However, in his final hours, Sharon confided his doubts to his father.
Police investigations revealed that Greeshma had premeditated the crime.
The murder plot emerged after Sharon refused to end their relationship, despite the formalisation of Greeshma’s marriage to a soldier from Nagercoil.
Investigators have uncovered extensive digital evidence revealing the chilling extent of Greeshma’s alleged preparation to poison Sharon, her former partner.
According to the findings, Greeshma had conducted online searches about the herbicide paraquat—a highly toxic herbicide—mixed with an Ayurvedic tonic, and its effects on the human body just hours before allegedly administering the lethal concoction.
Greeshma is accused of luring Sharon to her residence under the guise of reconciliation and offering him a drink laced with paraquat.
During the trial, Dr Aruna R, Head of Internal Medicine at Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College, testified that even a small dose of 15 ml of paraquat is fatal, emphasizing the lack of an antidote for such poisoning.
This wasn’t Greeshma’s first alleged attempt. Evidence suggests that she previously tried to harm Sharon using a “juice challenge.”
She reportedly mixed multiple paracetamol tablets into mango juice and offered it to him in Neyyoor, Kanyakumari.
However, Sharon spat out the drink due to its bitter taste, thwarting her plan.
The digital evidence and meticulous preparation investigators unearthed paint a disturbing picture of the lengths Greeshma allegedly went to execute her plan.
In a judgment that resonates with the principle of Dr. Edmond Locard—”every contact leaves a trace”—the Neyyattinkara Additional District and Sessions Court Judge AM Basheer awarded the death sentence to Greeshma for the murder of Sharon.
The court highlighted how Greeshma’s digital footprint, stored in the cloud, became the cornerstone of the investigation, enabling the Kerala Police to unravel the truth behind what could have been dismissed as a case of suicide or unnatural death.
The Special Investigation Team employed advanced forensic and digital tools to retrieve crucial evidence from Greeshma’s mobile phone.
In a desperate attempt to erase her tracks, she had searched “how to retrieve deleted data” after deleting incriminating search histories related to the lethal substances paracetamol and paraquat.
These searches, alongside her meticulously planned actions, painted a chilling picture of premeditation.
The judgment described the murder as “barbaric, gruesome, and revolting,” with Greeshma’s behavior deemed “inhuman of the highest order.”
Her plan to poison Sharon was executed in two stages: first, by administering an overdose of paracetamol and later by using paraquat, a highly toxic herbicide.
Greeshma had extensively researched the effects of these substances, showcasing a calculated and cold-blooded intent.
The court noted that Greeshma, a postgraduate in English with distinction and commendable IT knowledge, cunningly orchestrated the crime.
Sharon, deeply in love and unsuspecting of her sinister motives, fell victim to her deception.
Even as his condition worsened, she failed to inform his friends or family, breaching the trust that underpinned their relationship.
The crime shocked the collective conscience of society, creating fear and mistrust among couples.
The court emphasized that this heinous act was intended to send a message of betrayal in love, heightening its impact on public psyche.
The Kerala Police’s meticulous investigation, driven by scientific methods and transparency, was lauded as a “golden feather” in their cap.
The retrieval of digital and forensic evidence not only exposed Greeshma’s elaborate planning but also ensured justice for Sharon, an innocent victim of misplaced trust.
With 48 pieces of circumstantial evidence forming an unbroken chain, the court concluded that the crime was committed with the utmost brutality, warranting the death penalty.
The court judgment in the Sharon murder case has brought to light disturbing evidence of Greeshma’s meticulous planning and execution of the crime. Detailed forensic analysis revealed that Greeshma conducted extensive internet research on paraquat poisoning before administering the toxic herbicide to Sharon.
Greeshma had searched how paraquat spreads in the body and its effects, including damage to the lungs, liver, and kidneys. She was aware that paraquat causes fatal chemical reactions and is almost certain to result in death. Despite this knowledge, she went ahead with her plan.
Soon after Sharon consumed the concoction containing paraquat, he experienced a bitter taste, a burning sensation, and severe vomiting. Greeshma’s messages to Sharon during this period revealed attempts to mislead him, ensuring he did not seek medical attention immediately.
In the earlier attempt also, when she tried to kill Sharon by giving him juice mixed with paracetamol, she carried out extensive research.
The court noted, the fact that Greeshma conducted 23 separate searches over the span of about two hours before taking paracetamol for a fever is not typical behaviour for an ordinary person.
For someone with a postgraduate education, such detailed research on topics like paracetamol side effects, dosage, overdose, and interactions with other substances is unnecessary unless there is a specific motive behind it.
This suggests that Greeshma’s intent was not simply to take paracetamol, but rather to gather information to administer poison to Sharon.
The searches included terms related to opioid overdose, toxicity of drugs used in suicides, symptoms and diagnosis of paracetamol poisoning, substances commonly used in overdose suicides in Toronto, and how to prevent accidental overdoses. In particular, a search revealed Greeshma’s focus on paracetamol poisoning and overdose, which underscores the purposeful nature of her actions.
The court also noted her efforts to erase evidence, including deleting search history and WhatsApp messages, and her subsequent attempts to learn how to retrieve deleted data, further indicating her intent to conceal the crime.
This premeditated act, supported by clear digital evidence, left the court with no doubt about Greeshma’s culpability in the murder.
An excerpt from the judgment reads, “if a person searches for a new model of a car in the Internet, it reveals his interest, or his preparation to purchase the said car. Likewise, if a person searches the Internet and YouTube how to poison a person by administering overdose of paracetamol by mixing it with juice by deceitful means and also mix paraquat herbicide with kashayam, her preparation and intention to commit the offence of murder is crystal clear.”
(With inputs from Dileep V Kumar)
