The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday arrested Giribala Singh, the mother-in-law of Twisha Sharma and a retired judge, in connection with the high-profile death case that has drawn widespread attention in Madhya Pradesh. The arrest came a day after the Madhya Pradesh High Court cancelled her anticipatory bail, paving the way for the central agency to intensify its probe.
According to officials, Giribala Singh was taken into custody after nearly six-and-a-half hours of questioning by the CBI. The agency is currently investigating allegations of dowry harassment, mental cruelty, and possible tampering with evidence surrounding Twisha Sharma’s death.
Giribala had earlier secured anticipatory bail from a sessions court on May 15. However, the Madhya Pradesh High Court overturned the relief while hearing the matter in detail. In a 17-page order, vacation judge Devnarayan Mishra observed that the factual aspects of the case and the allegations against the accused warranted cancellation of the bail protection.
The court also referred to Twisha Sharma’s post-mortem report, which reportedly revealed the presence of additional injuries on her body. The order noted that these injuries were “not caused due to taking out the body from the ligature or carrying out to the hospital,” raising further suspicion and strengthening the case for a deeper investigation.
Twisha’s family welcomed the High Court’s decision and termed the arrest a significant step toward justice. Advocate Anurag Shrivastava, representing the victim’s family, said that Giribala Singh, having served in the judiciary for 36 years, should respect the legal process and cooperate fully with investigators.
“She was in judicial service for 36 years. If she has any respect towards law, wisdom should prevail over her mind and she should gracefully surrender before the CBI and cooperate with the probing agency,” Shrivastava told PTI.
The case has witnessed intense allegations and counter-allegations from both sides. Twisha Sharma’s family has accused Giribala Singh and her son Samarth Singh of subjecting Twisha to severe dowry-related harassment and mental torture. The family has further alleged that Giribala, due to her legal background, attempted to manipulate or tamper with the crime scene after Twisha’s death.
Rejecting all accusations, Giribala Singh had earlier addressed a press conference on May 18 in which she claimed that Twisha was allegedly addicted to drugs — a charge strongly denied by the deceased’s family. Giribala also alleged that Twisha’s parents were trying to malign her image and influence the investigation.
“We are not pressurising anyone. Her parents are trying to influence the case,” Giribala had told reporters earlier this month.
Meanwhile, investigators have seized CCTV footage from Giribala Singh’s residence in Bhopal as part of the ongoing probe. The case was transferred to the CBI last week amid mounting public attention and demands for an impartial investigation.
The arrest marks a major development in the case, which continues to spark debate over dowry harassment, abuse within marriages, and accountability in sensitive death investigations.
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