The CBI on Thursday arrested Giribala Singh, the mother-in-law of Twisha Sharma, the 33-year-old Noida woman who was found dead at her marital home in Bhopal earlier this month. The arrest came hours after a CBI team reached Giribala Singh’s residence in Bhopal’s Katara Hills area. The former judicial officer was taken into custody after hours-long questioning and searches at her residence. The action came a day after the Madhya Pradesh High Court quashed the anticipatory bail earlier granted to her by a sessions court.
Police have registered a case under Section 80(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with punishment for dowry death, Section 85 relating to cruelty inflicted on a married woman by her husband or his relatives, and Section 3(5) pertaining to joint criminal liability. Relevant provisions of the Dowry Prohibition Act have also been invoked as part of the investigation into the case.
Twisha was found hanging at her husband’s home on May 12, barely five months after her marriage. Her family has alleged dowry harassment, mental torture and foul play, accusing her husband Samarth Singh and mother-in-law Giribala Singh of abetment and cruelty. The case triggered widespread outrage, protests and intense scrutiny after allegations emerged that influential connections were being used to weaken the investigation.
The Madhya Pradesh government had earlier recommended a CBI probe, which was later acknowledged by the Supreme Court while stressing the need for a fair and impartial investigation.
In its order cancelling Giribala Singh’s anticipatory bail, the Madhya Pradesh High Court observed that witness statements and WhatsApp chats indicated allegations were not limited to Twisha’s husband alone. The court noted that the trial court had failed to adequately consider the material placed before it while granting relief to the retired judge.
The probe has also focused on allegations of evidence tampering. The MP government had earlier told the high court that Giribala Singh attempted to interfere with evidence linked to the case. Questions have also been raised over calls allegedly made to influential individuals and CCTV technicians soon after Twisha’s death.
Diana George is Associate Editor at Times Now, with over a decade of experience covering national and international news, crime, and local politics. S...View More
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