THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Sharon Raj murder case was challenging for the prosecution as there was no eyewitness in the case. They had to rely on circumstantial, scientific, digital evidence and expert opinions to convince the court that Sharon was murdered by his girlfriend Greeshma in order to marry another man.
Special public prosecutor V S Vineeth Kumar said though there was no trace of poison in the body of the victim, the doctors who treated him in the Medical College Hospital clearly testified that the physical changes that occurred to the internal organs were result of paraquat poisoning.
The prosecution produced statements of 95 witnesses, 323 documents and 51 pieces of material evidence to reinforce its case. The police had retrieved digital evidence including the Internet search history of Greeshma, wherein she was found to have browsed about the way the poison works in human body.
The statements given by Sharon to his friend Rejin, his father Jayaraj and the dying declaration given by Greeshma before the magistrate after her suicide attempt also proved to be crucial.
The prosecution also relied on the statements given by the head of the department of medicine, ENT, respiratory, emergency, nephrology and ICU departments of Thiruvananthapuram MCH where Sharon had received treatment.
Forensic Medicine experts Dr Dhanya Raveendran and Toxicology expert Dr V V Pillai had testified that Sharon was poisoned with paraquat.
Timeline
2021: Sharon and Greeshma started their relationship
March 2022: Her marriage was fixed with a soldier
August: Sharon was administered excess doze of paracetamol tablets in juice
October 14: Greeshma administered him poisonous concoction
October 25: Sharon died at the MCH
October 31: Greeshma attempts suicide while in police custody; Greeshma's mom and uncle arrested
November 1: Greeshma arrested
January 2023: Chargesheet filed
October 2024: Trial begins