CBI files charges against groom and mother‑in‑law in Twisha Sharma death

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) submitted a 600‑page chargesheet to a Delhi court last week, accusing Samarth Singh, a lawyer, and his mother‑in‑law Giribala Singh, a retired judge, of abet‑ment to suicide and cruelty in the death of 33‑year‑old model and actor Twisha Sharma.

The charges were filed after a month‑long investigation following Sharma’s discovery dead in her Bhopal home on 12 May. The CBI alleges the couple subjected her to repeated mental torture, forced her into an abortion, and repeatedly used derogatory language towards her.

Samarth was initially absent but surrendered to police a few days later, while Giribala Singh was arrested later that month. Both men remain in custody awaiting further court proceedings.

Sharma’s family pressed the police to investigate alleged dowry harassment and murder. The CBI’s chargesheet cites “continuous mental cruelty” as the motive for a “suicide” rather than a murder, though it allows for a supplementary chargesheet if new evidence emerges.

During the investigation, Giribala’s remarks about Sharma’s “mental health” and “liberal” attitudes sparked public outrage, as her comments were deemed a defamation of the deceased’s character. The former judge’s statements were later criticized for linking her daughter‑in‑law’s alleged traits to promiscuity in a press interview.