In a major development in the high-profile Twisha Sharma death case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday arrested retired judge Giribala Singh from her residence in Bhopal. Singh, who is the mother-in-law of the deceased 33-year-old Twisha Sharma, was taken into custody days after the young woman was found dead at her matrimonial home under suspicious circumstances.
The arrest came a day after the Madhya Pradesh High Court cancelled the anticipatory bail earlier granted to Giribala Singh in the dowry harassment case linked to Twisha’s death.
CBI officials arrived at Singh’s residence in the Bag Mughaliya Extension area of Bhopal on Thursday morning. According to sources, investigators questioned her for several hours following the High Court’s order before formally placing her under arrest.
The case has drawn widespread attention due to the involvement of a former judge’s family and allegations raised by Twisha’s parents regarding harassment, dowry pressure and possible tampering of evidence.
High Court quashes bail
Soon after Twisha’s death on May 12, Giribala Singh had approached a sessions court in Bhopal seeking anticipatory bail, which was granted. However, the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Wednesday set aside that relief, paving the way for the CBI action.
The court’s decision came amid increasing scrutiny of the investigation and allegations that the accused attempted to evade accountability in the early stages of the case.
Husband Samarth Singh already in custody
Twisha Sharma’s husband, lawyer Samarth Singh, was arrested by Bhopal Police on May 23 from the premises of the Jabalpur district court after remaining absconding for nearly 10 days.
Earlier that day, Samarth had withdrawn his anticipatory bail plea from the Madhya Pradesh High Court and indicated that he intended to surrender before a Bhopal trial court. Following his arrest, a local court remanded him to seven days of police custody for interrogation.
Investigators are currently examining digital evidence, including WhatsApp chats, phone records and other electronic data, to piece together the circumstances surrounding Twisha’s death.
What happened to Twisha Sharma?
Twisha Sharma, 33, was found dead at her matrimonial home in Bhopal on May 12, barely five months after marrying Samarth Singh, the son of retired judge Giribala Singh.
According to preliminary findings, Twisha allegedly died by hanging inside the house. However, the incident quickly sparked controversy after her family alleged that she had been subjected to continuous mental harassment after marriage.
During court proceedings, lawyers representing Twisha’s family cited WhatsApp messages in which she allegedly expressed feelings of suffocation and a desire to leave the household.
The family has further alleged that Twisha was pressured over her pregnancy and claimed there were attempts to influence the investigation and manipulate evidence after her death. They also questioned delays in filing the FIR and accused the family of failing to cooperate fully with investigators in the initial phase of the probe.
With both Samarth Singh and Giribala Singh now in custody, the investigation has intensified as the CBI continues to examine the circumstances that led to Twisha Sharma’s death.
