Thiruvananthapuram: The Neyyattinkara Additional Sessions Court completed its hearing on the question of the sentence of convicts in Sharon Raj's murder case on Saturday. The court will pronounce the quantum of punishment for the convicts on Monday. It was on Friday, Judge A M Basheer found Sharon’s former girlfriend, SS Greeshma, the prime accused, and her uncle, Nirmalakumaran Nair, guilty of the crime while acquitting Greeshma’s mother, Sindhu, due to lack of evidence.

According to Special Public Prosecutor VS Vineeth Kumar, Greeshma's defence counsel on Saturday argued that she is a 24-year-old with a promising academic background and deserves a chance for reformation. They contended that capital punishment would be unwarranted, as she has shown signs of reformation and should be given an opportunity to rebuild her life.

The defence further claimed that Greeshma acted under duress, alleging that Sharon had blackmailed her with their private photos, leaving her feeling trapped with no alternative but to either take her own life or harm Sharon.

Sharon Raj, a 23-year-old radiology student from Parassala, was poisoned by Greeshma on October 14, 2022, at her home in Ramavarmanchirai, Kanyakumari. The crime occurred after Sharon refused to end their relationship. Greeshma served him an Ayurvedic decoction laced with pesticide, causing him to fall critically ill. Although he initially showed signs of recovery, his condition deteriorated, leading to his death from organ failure on October 25.

Greeshma was found guilty of multiple charges, including murder, poisoning, abduction with intent to murder, and providing false information. Her uncle, Nirmalakumaran Nair, was found guilty of destroying evidence. Sindhu, however, was acquitted as the prosecution failed to substantiate her involvement.

The acquittal of Sindhu has drawn criticism from Sharon's parents, who expressed disappointment and announced plans to appeal the decision in the High Court after the sentencing.

Greeshma and the other accused have remained in custody since their arrest in late 2022. The case, which has captured widespread attention in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, was investigated by a special team led by then-district police chief D Shilpa.