The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday began its ground probe in Bhopal into the mysterious death of Twisha Sharma, a day after formally taking over the investigation following directions from the Supreme Court. The agency visited the alleged crime scene and recorded statements of the victim's family members.
Crime Scene Inspection
Sources confirmed that a team from the CBI's Special Crime (SC)-3 unit visited the residence of Samarth, where Twisha was allegedly found dead under suspicious circumstances. The team conducted a detailed spot inspection, examining the layout of the house and attempting to reconstruct the sequence of events as part of the initial phase of the probe.
Statements of Family Members
Later, the CBI team recorded statements of Twisha Sharma's family members at a guest house in the cantonment area. Investigators questioned them regarding the circumstances surrounding her death, earlier complaints, and allegations linked to the case.
Handover of Records
The Bhopal police formally handed over the case diary and investigation-related records to the central agency. This included forensic documents, postmortem reports, witness statements, digital evidence, and other papers collected during the local investigation.
Procedural Lapses
The station house officer (SHO) of Katara Hills police station faced the ire of CBI investigators over procedural lapses in the handing over of documents. He was reportedly asked to arrange and submit records in a proper sequence.
Second Autopsy and Future Investigation
Sources indicated that the CBI's future line of investigation is likely to depend significantly on the findings of the second autopsy conducted by a panel of medical experts from AIIMS. The final report of the second autopsy is yet to be submitted. Twisha's family suspects foul play in her death.
Legal Formalities
The CBI team has completed legal formalities related to the trial court in Bhopal. Sources further said that if the federal agency decides to seek custodial interrogation of Samarth, the agency would have to move a separate application before the special court in Indore seeking custody and transit remand.
Ligature Material Issue
The issue of the ligature material reportedly resurfaced during discussions between the state police and the CBI. Local police had once again failed to present it before medical experts during the second autopsy process, raising questions over procedural handling of key evidence.
The Madhya Pradesh government had transferred the probe to the CBI amid sustained demands for an independent investigation and allegations raised by Twisha Sharma's family over the circumstances of her death.
