Twisha Sharma death: SC takes suo-motu cognizance, husband in custody

The Supreme Court has taken suo-motu cognizance of the Twisha Sharma death case. Her husband, Samarth Singh, is in police custody amid allegations of dowry harassment. The family is demanding a CBI probe as a second post-mortem is set to be conducted.

SC Takes Suo-Motu Cognizance, Husband Remanded

The Supreme Court on Saturday took suo-motu cognizance of the Twisha Sharma death case. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant is likely to consider the matter on Monday. Supreme Court registers suo motu case 'In Re Alleged Institutional Bias and Procedural Discrepencies in the Unnatural Death of Young Woman at Matrimonial Home'.

Earlier today, a local court in Bhopal remanded her husband and the prime accused, Samarth Singh, to seven days of police custody. The judicial order, effective from May 23 to May 29, was granted to facilitate further interrogation into the circumstances leading up to her death. The decision followed the formal production of the accused before the magistrate on Saturday, after his medical examination. Samarth Singh's counsel, however, expressed opposition to the remand and stated that they will apply for bail after the seven-days period.

Second Post-Mortem Ordered, CBI Probe Recommended

Meanwhile, a medical board team has been formed to conduct the second post-mortem examination on Sunday. The action was initiated after a Bhopal court authorised the Director of AIIMS Delhi to oversee the procedure following a formal request from the Madhya Pradesh state government. The team, with their latest instruments are on the way to Bhopal.

Samarth Singh had been on the run until he was taken into custody from Jabalpur on May 22. The scrutiny has not been limited to him alone, as three formal notices have also been sent to his mother, Giribala Singh, who is a former judge. The developments come amid increasing scrutiny over the circumstances surrounding Twisha Sharma's death. The Madhya Pradesh government has already recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the matter.

Family Demands 'Fair Investigation'

Twisha Sharma, a resident of Noida, married Bhopal resident Samarth Singh in December 2025. Following her death on May 12, her family alleged that she had been subjected to mental torture and dowry harassment by her husband and his family members. The allegations triggered widespread outrage and demands for a detailed investigation into the case.

As the local police proceed with their initial custody interrogation, Twisha's family has expressed a demand for a "fair investigation" from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Speaking to reporters, Major Harshit Sharma, the brother of the deceased said, "The CBI should take up this as soon as possible. They should take charge of this case so that a fair investigation can begin."

Controversy Surrounds Husband's 'Surrender'

Providing an update on the courtroom proceedings, Advocate Ankur Pandey, the legal counsel representing Twisha Sharma's family, stated that, "Police got seven days' custody of the accused (Samarth Singh). There were proceedings regarding the passport. His lawyer submitted the accused's passport today." Advocate Pandey also informed reporters that a hearing regarding three pending preservation applications is scheduled for May 29, coinciding with the expiration of the accused's current police custody.

The circumstances regarding how Samarth Singh was taken into custody have become a major point of contention. Members of Twisha's extended family have openly questioned the narrative surrounding his arrest, alleging that it was a strategic move designed to evade aggressive police tracking. Twisha Sharma's cousin Swati raised concerns over Singh's conduct after the High Court directed him to surrender before the trial court. "That wasn't a surrender, in my opinion; I think it was a strategy. When the High Court ordered him to surrender before the trial court, why did he go to the High Court instead? Even at the High Court, the police didn't catch him initially, and he didn't surrender directly to them. He was caught there after being traced through the media," she said.

Ashish Sharma, another cousin of the victim, echoed a similar sentiment, saying that it is not a surrender. Criticising the High Court, he highlighted that Samarth Singh, "a fugitive," remained inside the judge's chamber for at least 2.5 hours. "It's not a surrender. Whether he is guilty or not, he should have come forward. You must have heard this surprising news from the Jabalpur High Court that he was sitting inside a chamber for at least 2-2.5 hours. It's a very surprising thing that a fugitive is sitting in a judge's chamber. This is raising very big questions: how can this happen? Is the law and order bigger, or are the people who are supposed to uphold it bigger?" he asked.

Saurabh Sharma, Twisha's brother-in-law, said that Samarth Singh planned the surrender after withdrawing his bail and executed the plan before the deceased's family could get the case study. "His surrender in Jabalpur is a well-planned conspiracy. He did something in the process because earlier, when we were in the High Court, he was on bail. He withdrew his bail and planned to surrender. Then, somewhere, before we could get the case study, before the order could come, he went to the police station and surrendered. There was a lot of indecency going on there. There were a lot of lawyers, a lot of them were abusing. The media was also unable to do anything there. None of the family members was allowed inside. He was brought here at 2:30 am to the morning, to the Khatara Hills police station," he said.

Other Legal Developments

The Bar Council of India (BCI) had earlier passed an interim order suspending advocate Samarth Singh from legal practice with immediate effect in connection with allegations arising out of the death of his wife, Twisha Sharma, within a few months of marriage at their matrimonial home in Bhopal.

Meanwhile, the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Friday also issued a notice to pleas filed by the father of Twisha Sharma and the State government opposing the anticipatory bail granted by a lower court to Giribala Singh. Counsel for the family of Twisha Sharma said that the next hearing into the matter would be conducted on May 25.

With the police continuing their custodial interrogation, the demand for a transition to a CBI investigation continues to grow, as people await the result of Twisha's second autopsy. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)