Supreme Court takes suo motu note of Twisha Sharma dowry death

The Supreme Court has taken suo motu cognisance of the Twisha Sharma dowry death case, citing alleged institutional bias and procedural lapses. A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant will hear the matter on May 25.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Saturday took suo motu cognisance of the Twisha Sharma ‘dowry’ death case over alleged institutional bias and procedural discrepancies in the matter.

According to the details uploaded on the apex court website, the court registered the suo moto case after taking note of media reports and other attending circumstances.

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A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi is scheduled to hear the matter on May 25.

The suo moto case is titled “alleged institutional bias and procedural discrepancies in the unnatural death of a young girl at her matrimonial home”.

Actor-model Twisha, 33, was found hanging at her marital home in Bhopal’s Katara Hills area on May 12, following which an FIR was registered against her husband, Samarth Singh, a lawyer, and her mother-in-law, Giribala Singh, a former district judge, for alleged harassment for dowry.

On Saturday, a local court remanded Samarth Singh to seven-day police custody, while Giribala Singh said that police were yet to contact her for recording her statement in the high-profile case.

Samarth Singh, who had been absconding for 10 days after the FIR was registered against him and his mother, was arrested on Friday evening after he reached the Jabalpur district court to surrender.

He earlier withdrew his pre-arrest bail petition filed in the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

Giribala Singh, who is currently the chairperson of the Bhopal District Consumer Court, on Saturday said she would be happy to record her statement, but Bhopal Police had not reached out to her yet.

She could not step out of her house owing to the chaotic situation outside, she claimed, apparently referring to the presence of mediapersons.

On Friday, the high court issued a notice to her on pleas seeking cancellation of her anticipatory bail, and sought her response by May 25.

On Thursday, Bhopal Police issued a third and final notice to her after she allegedly failed to appear for recording her statement.

A four-member team of doctors from AIIMS Delhi is scheduled to conduct a second autopsy on Twisha on Sunday, following a Madhya Pradesh High Court order that came in response to a petition filed by her parents.

On May 22, the Bar Council of India suspended Samarth Singh from legal practice with immediate effect following the alleged dowry death of Twisha.

In the interim order, the apex bar body said the accusations against him were “grave” and impacted the dignity and public image of the legal profession.