Twisha Sharma death case: Police question her husband and mother-in-law

Bhopal police are questioning retired judge Giribala Singh and her son Samarth over the suspected dowry-harassment death of former Miss Pune Twisha Sharma. As controversy mounts, a second AIIMS autopsy was conducted, and MP has recommended a CBI probe

Bhopal: Police have begun detailed questioning of retired judge Giribala Singh and her lawyer son Samarth Singh in connection with the death of his wife Twisha Sharma, who was allegedly harassed for dowry, officials said on Monday.

The information provided by the two accused is being verified, they said, adding that no conclusion has been reached so far.

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Samarth Singh, who is currently in police custody, has apparently told investigators that their relations turned sour after Twisha became pregnant, according to sources.

The questioning by police comes even as the Madhya Pradesh government has recommended a CBI probe into the Twisha Sharma case, which has triggered widespread public attention.

Twisha (33), the former Miss Pune originally from Noida, was found hanging at her in-laws’ residence in Bhopal’s Katara Hills on the night of May 12.

Her family has accused her husband and in-laws of dowry harassment and abetment to suicide. Her in-laws, however, have denied the allegations and claimed Twisha suffered from drug addiction.

The case has snowballed into a massive national controversy, given the background of the accused.

Investigators were separately questioning retired district judge Giribala Singh, who has secured anticipatory bail, and her son Samarth Singh, and cross-verifying their statements, a senior police officer said, requesting anonymity.

“We have questioned Giribala Singh. The process takes time. Her son Samarth Singh, who is in police custody, is also being interrogated. Information given by one accused is being verified with the other,” the official said.

The investigation is still underway, and no final conclusion has been reached so far, he said.

“As of now, the case appears to be one of suicide, but the investigation is continuing. It would be premature to draw any conclusion at this stage,” he added.

The police have registered an FIR against Samarth Singh and his mother on charges of harassment for dowry.

Samarth Singh was arrested in Jabalpur on Friday after remaining absconding for 10 days. A Bhopal court on Saturday sent him to a seven-day police remand.

On Sunday, a team of doctors from AIIMS-Delhi conducted a second postmortem of Twisha Sharma in Bhopal following directions from the Madhya Pradesh High Court after serious concerns raised by Twisha’s parents regarding procedural lapses by local authorities.

Chief of Forensic Medicine at AIIMS, Delhi, Dr Sudhir Gupta, said the compilation of the report will take some time as certain laboratory tests, including histopathology and viscera examination, are required.

The team also visited Twisha’s residence on Sunday and the incident spot to carry out assessments related to the case.

Dr Gupta added that the team will return on Monday with the samples, photographs, videos and written findings.

The accused in-laws have claimed that Twisha was battling drug addiction, a charge strongly disputed by her family.

Following the second autopsy, Twisha’s mortal remains were cremated at Bhadbhada Vishram Ghat in Bhopal on Sunday evening.