Twisha Sharma’s retired-judge mother-in-law called up people in judiciary after her death, says family

Giribala Singh, the mother-in-law of Twisha Sharma, who was found hanging at her marital home due to alleged dowry harassment, reportedly made several calls to multiple individuals, many of whom were linked to the judiciary a day after her daughter-in-law’s death. Singh was an additional district judge, who assumed post of President of the District Consumer Forum after her retirement.

Singh made some calls to relatives and acquaintances, while others were made to people associated with the judiciary, Twisha Sharma’s family alleged. This has raised suspicions that attempts were made to influence the investigation.

The family also claimed that Singh contacted the people who had installed the CCTV cameras at the house. Twisha Sharma’s family has also released a list of phone numbers and has asked for a detailed investigation into the call records. They have demanded a forensic examination of all phone calls made by Giribala Singh, including preservation and analysis of tower locations, IP logs, and other digital records. They also sought immediate preservation, safe custody, forensic mirror imaging, and sealing of email communications, SMS records, WhatsApp chats, CCTV coordination records, and other critical digital evidence linked to the case.

Twisha Sharma’s family even alleged that she had made distressed phone calls to them on the night of her death, rejecting the Singh family’s claims that she had died of suicide. The Sharma family claimed that Twisha’s body bore visible bruises and injury marks, indicating the possibilities of physical assault or murder.

A case of dowry death and harassment has been registered against Twisha’s husband, advocate Samarth Singh, and Giribala Singh. Samarth Singh is absconding and Giribala Singh was granted bail.

Meanwhile, the Madhya Pradesh government has initiated proceedings to remove Giribala Singh from her position as President of the District Consumer Forum. The Food Supply Department has taken this step as she may face prosecution in the Twisha Sharma suicide case.

The Deputy Secretary of the Food Department has written to the Registrar of the State Consumer Commission. The letter requests an inquiry and an urgent report under sub-rule 9(2) of the Consumer Protection Rules, 2020, which deals with removal from office in serious cases.

A local court has rejected the family’s plea for a second autopsy of Twisha Sharma. Her parents had sought a fresh post-mortem and a police investigation, fearing that individuals connected to her in-laws might have influenced the first autopsy conducted in Bhopal.

In another development, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said the state government would recommend a CBI investigation into Sharma’s death.