Greeshma, the prime accused in the murder of 23-year-old Sharon Raj, native of Kerala’s Parasala, was granted bail by the High Court on Monday, September 25. Hearing Greeshma’s bail petition, Justice Mohammad Nias CP said that the accused cannot be denied bail “merely because the sentiments of the community are against her”. Greeshma has been accused of lacing Sharon’s drink with poison.
LiveLaw reported that the court underlined how bail cannot be withheld as a punishment. “I feel that denying bail to the accused cannot be right on the facts and circumstances of this case, despite the serious nature of the accusations against the petitioner. Right to bail is not to be denied merely because of the sentiments of the community being against the accused, nor can bail be withheld as a punishment, pending trial,” the court observed. Granting Greeshma bail the court also said that there are no chances of her absconding.
Greeshma, a 22-year-old resident of Ramavarmanchirai in Kanyakumari, and Sharon were in a relationship. However, she allegedly wanted to end the relationship after her marriage with another man had been fixed, but Sharon did not accept it. On October 14, 2022, Sharon visited Greeshma’s house, where she offered him kashayam (Ayurvedic concoction) allegedly mixed with poison. Since the concoction was bitter, she also offered him some mango juice to wash it down.
Sharon’s friend who was there with him during the trip then gave a police statement saying Sharon was sick on the way back home and that he went to the Parassala Government Hospital the same day. He was later referred to the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital but was sent back home as his blood tests were normal. However, on October 17, he was once again taken to Medical College Hospital after he fell sick again. This time around, he was immediately admitted to the ICU where they diagnosed multiple organ failure. On October 25, he died due to a cardiac arrest.
Read: Kerala police say Greeshma confessed to killing boyfriend Sharon with poison