CBI to probe Twisha Sharma death case as family demands inquiry into mother-in-law Giribala Singh's calls to judges

The Madhya Pradesh government on Friday, 22 May, formally proposed transferring the Twisha Sharma death case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), as the family of the 33-year-old model and actor demanded an independent inquiry into a series of phone calls made by the accused mother-in-law Giribala Singh to judges, senior officials, and CCTV maintenance technicians immediately after the death. Madhya Pradesh govt proposes transferring the case to CBI The Madhya Pradesh Home Department on Friday issued a notification stating that it "proposes to transfer this (Twisha case) to the Central Bureau of Investigation for a probe." The notification was issued by Home Department Secretary Krishnaveni Desavatu, officials confirmed. Twisha Sharma, a Noida-based model and actor, was found hanging at her marital home in Bhopal's Katara Hills area on 12 May. Her family has alleged that her in-laws subjected her to sustained dowry-related harassment and drove her to death. The in-laws have disputed this account, claiming she had struggled with drug dependency. Police have registered a First Information Report under Sections 80(2), 85, and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, along with relevant provisions of the Dowry Prohibition Act. Named in the FIR are Twisha's husband Samarth Singh and his mother Giribala Singh, a retired additional district judge. Authorities have announced a cash reward of ₹30,000 for information leading to Samarth Singh's arrest and have approached the court for the revocation of his passport. Family raises alarm over phone calls made after Twisha's death On the same day the CBI transfer was proposed, Twisha's family issued a detailed statement demanding a comprehensive and independent investigation into a set of communications allegedly made by Giribala Singh in the immediate aftermath of the death. The family raised "serious concern" over why the accused had allegedly been in quick contact with judges, senior government officials, Lokayukta members, and technicians associated with CCTV maintenance and repair, even as the victim's own parents were left without information about the circumstances surrounding their daughter's death. "While the family respects every individual who expressed sympathy... it is unable to understand how persons associated with CCTV maintenance or technical services became relevant participants in such communications immediately after the incident," the statement said. CCTV footage discrepancy draws further scrutiny The family's statement came a day after Giribala Singh informed a First Class Judicial Magistrate that eight CCTV cameras installed at her premises were being managed by a private company and had not been maintained properly. She stated that the equipment showed a timestamp discrepancy of two days, two hours and 20 minutes, and that this error was "creating confusion among the general public." The victim's family has called on police to verify the purpose, timing, and context of every communication relating to CCTV maintenance through forensic and independent investigative processes. "This is not an allegation but a legitimate question which deserves clarification through a fair and transparent investigation," the family's statement said. Family says it was kept in the dark Central to the family's grievance is what they describe as a painful asymmetry: high-level communications were allegedly taking place while they were receiving only fragmented information about what had happened to their daughter. "A grieving mother and father were desperately searching for answers regarding the condition and circumstances of their daughter, yet they found themselves dependent upon fragmented information," the statement said. The family also raised objections to Giribala Singh giving media interviews while an active criminal investigation is under way, questioning the ability of the accused to shape public narrative at a stage when the victim can no longer speak for herself. "Twisha Sharma is no longer alive to explain her version of events. She cannot answer allegations... The focus should remain on discovering the truth rather than questioning the character of a person who cannot respond," the statement said. Twisha's family calls case a test of rule of law In closing their statement, Twisha's family stressed that they were not seeking vengeance or assuming guilt, but were demanding equal treatment and transparency from the institutions handling the case. "If every communication was innocent, if every official action was proper... an independent investigation will establish those facts conclusively," the statement read, adding: "Conversely, if any irregularity is discovered, accountability must follow irrespective of the office, rank, or status of the person involved."