Sharon murder case: Kerala High Court grants bail to accused-girlfriend Greeshma

The Kerala High Court on Monday granted bail to Greeshma, the prime accused in the murder of 23-year-old Thiruvananthapuram resident Sharon Raj. [Greeshma @ Sreekutty & Ors. v State of Kerala].Greeshma, who is said to be the former girlfriend of Sharon Raj, stands accused of murdering Sharon by giving him a poisoned drink.Justice Mohammad Nias CP passed the order granting bail to Greeshma today after noting that the final report had been filed and that she had co-operated with the investigation. The judge also said that bail cannot be withheld merely to pander to public sentiments against the accused."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 order stated..In October 2022, Sharon Raj died due to organ failure after he was allegedly poisoned by Greeshma.They met when they were students at a private college at Kanyakumari where Sharon was studying radiology and Greeshma was studying literature.According to the prosecution, the two had allegedly been in a relationship for around a year but Greeshma wanted to break it off as her family had fixed her marriage with another man. Since Sharon was unwilling to let the relationship end, Greeshma along with her mother and uncle hatched a conspiracy to kill Sharon by poisoning him, the prosecution alleged.When Sharon visited Greeshma at her house in Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, Greeshma allegedly gave him a drink laced with a poison that she had prepared. Her mother and uncle concealed the bottle containing the poison, the prosecution added. Sharon Raj's health is said to have deteriorated rapidly in the next few days. On October 25, he died as a result of multiple organ failure. In less than a week, Greeshma was arrested. Later, her mother and uncle were also arrested in connection with the case.Greeshma's mother and uncle were eventually able to secure bail but Greeshma had remained behind bars.This prompted her to moved the High Court seeking bail arguing that the her continued detention is unnecessary as the investigation has been completed and final report filed. It was also contended that Greeshma had cooperated with the investigation and that Sharon's dying decaration never said anything about her involvement. .Considering the fact that Greeshma is only 22-years-old and had been behind bars since October 31, 2022, the High Court granted her bail subject to certain conditions. .Greeshma was represented by advocate Sasthamangalam S Ajithkumar..On a related note, another single judge, Justice PV Kunhikrishnan, is presently seized of a plea moved by Greeshma, her mother and her uncle.The joint plea challenges the refusal of a Kerala trial court to transfer the case to Tamil Nadu, which is argued to be the court that has territorial jurisdiction to hear the case since the alleged crime took place in Tamil Nadu.Justice Kunhikrishnan has admitted the plea and ordered a stay on the Kerala trial court order for a period of three weeks..[Read Order]