Twisha Sharma death: CBI arrests ex-judge mother-in-law Giribala Singh
A day after losing her legal cover, the accused is taken into custody in Bhopal to be cross-examined alongside her advocate son over the actor-model’s tragic death
The Twisha Sharma death case saw a major development on Thursday (May 28) when the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Giribala Singh, the mother-in-law of the deceased and a former district judge. The central agency’s move came a day after the Madhya Pradesh High Court cancelled her anticipatory bail.
Also read: Another dowry harassment case surfaces in Delhi amid Twisha Sharma probe
Officials said a CBI team took Giribala into custody after interrogating her at her residence in Bag Mugaliya Extension Area of Bhopal. Samarth Singh, Twisha’s advocate husband, is already in the agency’s custody.
CBI to interrogate mother-son duo
The CBI intends to cross-examine the suspects using each other's statements and question them in custody over the events surrounding the death of 33-year-old Twisha, officials said, adding that the agency plans to present Giribala before a competent court to formally seek her remand.
Giribala is facing charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, including: Section 80(2), for dowry death; Section 85, Cruelty to a woman by her husband or relatives; Section 3(5), acts done by several persons in furtherance of a common intention. Additionally, she has been charged under Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961.
Twisha death creates uproar
The death of Twisha at her matrimonial house in Bhopal on May 12 has triggered a media frenzy across the country. The model-actor was married to Samarth for just five months when she was allegedly found hanging.
Twisha’s family alleged that she was tortured by her husband and mother-in-law over dowry demands, and she was forced to take a drastic step.
Giribala had been levelling counter allegations questioning the purported medical treatment and her mental state in various media interviews.
Also read: Deepika to Twisha, why dowry deaths persist despite strict laws
On May 23, the Supreme Court registered a suo motu case concerning the death amid allegations by Twisha’s family that her in-laws tampered with evidence.
On Monday (May 25), the CBI registered an FIR in the case, booking both Samarth and Giribala. It re-registered the state police FIR showing Samarth and Giribala as accused.
According to the FIR, Twisha's husband Samarth had brought her to the AIIMS, Bhopal, where he claimed that she had hanged herself at home at 10.20 pm.
The doctor at AIIMS informed the police on May 13 at 12.05 am that she was brought dead to the hospital, and a PMLC was registered, the FIR said.
A sessions court on May 15 granted anticipatory bail to Giribala, before it was quashed by the high court.
In its 17-page order, Justice Devnarayan Mishra observed that “in the light of the factual aspects of the case and the allegations levelled against the respondent (Giribala Singh)”, the anticipatory bail granted by the additional sessions judge deserved to be quashed.
Also read: India records 20 dowry deaths a day
He passed the order after hearing petitions filed by Twisha’s father Navnidhi Sharma and the MP government challenging the anticipatory bail.
The postmortem report said that death was due to "antemortem hanging by ligature" and found "multiple antemortem injuries (simple in nature, possibly by blunt force over other parts of the body have been noted)".
(With agency inputs)