Supreme Court takes suo motu cognisance of Twisha Sharma death case, hearing on May 25

The Supreme Court on Saturday, May 23, took suo motu cognisance of the alleged dowry death case of actor-model Twisha Sharma, citing concerns over alleged institutional bias and procedural discrepancies in the investigation.

According to details uploaded on the apex court website, the suo motu case was registered after the court took note of media reports and other related circumstances surrounding the matter.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, is scheduled to hear the matter on May 25.

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

Twisha Sharma, 33, was found hanging at her matrimonial home in Bhopal’s Katara Hills area on May 12. Following her death, an FIR was registered against her husband Samarth Singh and mother-in-law Giribala Singh on charges of alleged dowry harassment.

On Saturday, a local court remanded Samarth Singh to seven-day police custody. He had allegedly been absconding for 10 days after the FIR was filed and was arrested on Friday evening when he appeared before the Jabalpur district court to surrender. Earlier, he had withdrawn his anticipatory bail plea filed before the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

Meanwhile, Giribala Singh, currently serving as the chairperson of the Bhopal District Consumer Court, said police had not yet contacted her for recording her statement. She claimed she was unable to step out of her residence due to the presence of mediapersons outside her home.

On Friday, the Madhya Pradesh High Court issued a notice to her on petitions seeking cancellation of her anticipatory bail and sought her response by May 25. Bhopal Police had earlier issued a third and final notice to her after she allegedly failed to appear for questioning.

In another development, a four-member team of doctors from All India Institute of Medical Sciences Delhi is set to conduct a second autopsy on Twisha Sharma on Sunday following directions from the Madhya Pradesh High Court. The order came in response to a petition filed by her parents.

Earlier this week, the Bar Council of India suspended Samarth Singh from legal practice with immediate effect, stating that the allegations against him were grave and had adversely affected the dignity and public image of the legal profession.