In Twisha Sharma Case, Supreme Court's Big 'Narrative As Accused Ex-Judge' Remark

The Supreme Court on Monday told the family of former actor-model Twisha Sharma, who was found dead on May 12, and her in-laws to not speak to the media during the ongoing probe.

Twisha, 33, was found hanging at her matrimonial home in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal, with her family accusing her husband, Samarth Singh, a lawyer, and mother-in-law Giribala Singh, a former district judge, of dowry harassment and abetment to suicide. The Singh family has rejected the allegations and claimed she suffered from drug addiction.

Twisha Sharma with her parents

The Supreme Court, which on Saturday took suo motu cognisance of the Twisha's death case, citing alleged institutional bias and procedural irregularities, said both families were going to the media "unnecessarily".

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi also urged media to observe restraint while reporting developments in the case.

"We are slightly in pain because of some of the actions. We will request our media friends to not go for the statements of the victim's family or the other family. Let the things move as per law and procedure," the court said.

"This shall avoid unnecessary premature impressions of outcomes on certain issues which have to be investigated," the bench said.

The court said the two families should rather get their versions recorded before the investigating agency so that "no prejudice or adverse impact" is had on the ongoing investigation.

"The mother-in-law is a former district judge, and it is unfortunate that it is being said the judiciary is derailing the trial... We are against the narrative that is being created," the bench added.

Giribala Singh (L), Twisha Sharma, and Samarth SIngh

The lawyer appearing for the Singh family assured the court that Giribala Singh won't make statements to media on the probe.

Calling it an "unfortunate incident" and a "sensational" case, the court stressed the need for a "fair and impartial probe" in the case. The investigation into the case has been transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

"We are in pain because of some of the actions; let things move as per law and procedure," the court said.

During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was representing the Madhya Pradesh government, said the case was a message for all parents that it is better to have a divorced daughter than face such an unfortunate incident.

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The Twisha Sharma Death Case

Twisha Sharma, a resident of Uttar Pradesh's Noida, and Bhopal's Samarth Singh met on a dating app in 2024 and got married in December last year.

On May 12, she was found hanging at her home in Bhopal's Katara Hills area, and it was initially said to be a suicide.

Her family, however, later said she was harassed for dowry and humiliated repeatedly.

A case was registered against Samarth and Giribala Singh for alleged harassment for dowry.

Samarth, who had been missing since May 12, was arrested last Friday after he reached the Jabalpur district court to surrender. He had withdrawn his pre-arrest bail petition filed in the Madhya Pradesh High Court earlier.

The Allegations In Twisha Sharma Case

Twisha Sharma's family had alleged that the investigation was not carried out properly and refused to take custody of her body, which was kept at the All India Institute Of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhopal, demanding that a second autopsy be carried out. They took her body after a second post-mortem was conducted by a team of AIIMS Delhi in Bhopal yesterday.

Twisha had also told both her family and friends that she felt trapped in an unhappy marriage and was facing harassment.

The Singh family, on the other hand, alleged that Twisha was depressed and claimed she consumed narcotics. Giribala Singh also accused Twisha of theatrics.