Twisha Sharma Case: CBI Chargesheets Husband, Mother-In-Law For Abetment And Dowry Death
The suspense over the circumstances surrounding the death of Twisha Sharma has ended, with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filing its chargesheet in the case before the special CBI court in Bhopal on Monday.
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Twisha Sharma Case: CBI Chargesheets Husband, Mother-In-Law For Abetment And Dowry Death
The suspense over the circumstances surrounding the death of Twisha Sharma has ended, with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filing its chargesheet in the case before the special CBI court in Bhopal on Monday.
CBI has filed its chargesheet under sections 80(2), 80(5) 3 and 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The 636-page chargesheet also includes sections 3 and 4 of The Dowry Prohibition Act. Sources said both Twisha’s husband Samarth Singh and mother-in-law Giribala Singh have been charged with dowry harassment and abetment to suicide.
The CBI’s findings indicate that the agency has not found evidence to establish that Twisha was murdered, contrary to allegations made by her father, N Sharma, who had claimed that his daughter was assaulted and subsequently hanged to make her death appear as suicide.
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The CBI court had granted the agency time until August 17 to submit its final report in the case.
In The Dock
Investigators have relied on a range of digital and forensic evidence collected during the probe, including Twisha’s WhatsApp conversations, phone records and her final conversation with her mother shortly before her death. The agency had also collected voice samples of Samarth and Giribala Singh for forensic examination of technical evidence.
Sources told CNN-News18 that the CBI’s investigation found indications of Twisha’s harassment by Samarth linked to their unborn child, which investigators believe contributed to her taking the extreme step.
The chargesheet’s inclusion of dowry death provisions indicates that the agency has also examined allegations of cruelty or harassment connected to dowry in determining the circumstances leading to Twisha’s death.
What Happened To The Murder Allegation?
Twisha’s father had alleged that his daughter was assaulted and murdered before her body was hanged to make it appear that she had died by suicide. However, the CBI investigation did not find evidence supporting a murder theory.
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The agency instead concluded that the available evidence pointed towards suicide, while examining whether the circumstances and alleged harassment amounted to abetment and dowry-related cruelty.
Giribala Singh And The Evidence-Tampering Allegations
The investigation also examined the conduct of Twisha’s mother-in-law, former judge Giribala Singh, following the death.
Sources had earlier indicated that the CBI was examining whether Giribala attempted to interfere with or destroy evidence after Twisha’s body was discovered.
According to investigators, Giribala made multiple calls soon after Twisha’s death, including to the CCTV installer and the owners of the beauty salon Twisha had visited on the evening of her death.
A CCTV technician had earlier told the media that Giribala called and said an “accident” had occurred and asked that the CCTV footage be pulled out.
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The CBI also examined allegations surrounding the handling of the CCTV DVR. Sources had said investigators found evidence suggesting that selected portions of the footage were extracted, edited and subsequently circulated to the media.
The footage showed Samarth attempting to give CPR to Twisha, while Giribala could also be seen in the recording.
Salon Visit Also Part Of Probe
Twisha had visited a beauty salon on the day of her death, and the salon’s account became part of the investigation. The salon owner had told the media that Giribala called her on May 13, a day after Twisha’s death, asking about the duration of Twisha’s visit, the services she had taken and whether she appeared normal.
Giribala had earlier cited the salon visit as evidence that there was no strain between Twisha and Samarth, pointing out that the couple had visited the salon together and returned together.
The CBI examined these accounts alongside the digital evidence and witness statements collected during the investigation.
46 Calls Made After Twisha’s Death
Giribala’s call records also came under scrutiny during the investigation.
Her call detail records showed 46 calls made after Twisha’s death, including conversations with several senior officials in the Bhopal administration. Giribala had maintained that the calls were related to receiving condolences following the death.
Investigators, however, examined whether some of these communications could have been an attempt to influence or affect the course of the investigation.
The chargesheet now formally places the CBI’s conclusions before the court, bringing the agency’s investigation to an end while leaving the question of criminal liability to be determined through judicial proceedings.
The filing also marks a significant departure from the murder allegation made by Twisha’s family, with the CBI instead proceeding on the theory that alleged harassment and dowry-related cruelty contributed to her death.
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