A retired district judge, Giribala Singh, who served in Bhopal's district and sessions court from July 2021 to February 2023, has been arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the Twisha Sharma death case. The 63-year-old former judge was taken into custody on Thursday, a day after the Madhya Pradesh high court quashed her anticipatory bail.
Background of the Case
Twisha Sharma, a 33-year-old communications manager from Noida working for a German company, married Bhopal-based lawyer Samarth Singh in December 2025. On May 12, she was found dead at her marital home in Bhopal's Katara Hills area. While her in-laws claimed suicide, her family alleged dowry harassment, domestic violence, and foul play.
The case has garnered national attention due to the involvement of a former judge and her lawyer son, leading to proceedings in the Madhya Pradesh high court and the Supreme Court.
Allegations and Investigation
An FIR was registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for dowry death and cruelty by husband or relatives, along with the Dowry Prohibition Act. Twisha's family repeatedly highlighted Singh's judicial background, questioning the investigation process. Her brother, Major Harshit Sharma, alleged at a press conference that the first call to police after the incident was made by their family, not the in-laws. He stated, "Being a judge, her mother-in-law knew the legal process and had all the access but did not make the call."
The family also claimed police took three days to register the FIR, during which Giribala Singh secured anticipatory bail from a Bhopal sessions court. The state government challenged this relief before the high court.
Legal Proceedings
During hearings, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Madhya Pradesh government, alleged that Singh was not cooperating with investigators despite repeated notices. The state government also accused her of attempting to "tinker with evidence" and contacting "influential people" and "CCTV technicians" within hours of Twisha's death.
The Supreme Court, after taking suo motu cognisance, observed that a "narrative" was being created that the judiciary was not permitting a fair trial because the case involved a former district judge and her lawyer son.
On Wednesday, the Madhya Pradesh high court quashed the anticipatory bail granted to Giribala Singh. Justice Devnarayan Mishra noted that the trial court had failed to adequately consider material in the case diary, witness statements, and allegations from the deceased's family. The high court referred to statements from Twisha's family members alleging harassment and pressure to terminate her pregnancy, as well as WhatsApp chats and postmortem findings showing multiple ante-mortem injuries, indicating a need for deeper investigation.
Samarth Singh, Giribala's son and a lawyer, is already in CBI custody in connection with the case.
