Twisha Sharma Case: From a Bhopal Bedroom to the Supreme Court — The Investigation So Far
A 33-year-old actor-model found dead at her marital home just five months after her wedding. A husband who went absconding. A mother-in-law who is a former judge. And a CBI probe ordered by India’s Chief Justice. Here is everything known about the Twisha Sharma case.
By NewsArc Bureau | 7 min read
On the night of May 12, 2026, Samarth Singh told police he found his wife, actor-model Twisha Sharma, hanging inside their home in the Katara Hills neighbourhood of Bhopal at around 10:20 pm. He rushed her to AIIMS Bhopal. Doctors declared her brought dead at 12:05 am on May 13. She was 33 years old and had been married for barely five months.
What followed — a missing husband, a contested post-mortem, allegations of dowry torture, institutional bias, and a Supreme Court intervention — has turned the case into one of the most closely watched dowry-related deaths in India in recent years.
Who Was Twisha Sharma?
Twisha Sharma, originally from Noida, was an actor and model who had worked in the entertainment industry before settling in Bhopal after her marriage. She married Samarth Singh, a lawyer by profession, on December 9, 2025 — a wedding held in Noida, just months after the two met through an internet dating service. Her mother-in-law, Giribala Singh, is a retired district and sessions judge.
What Does the FIR Say?
The CBI FIR — registered after the agency officially took over the case on May 25 — paints a disturbing picture of Twisha’s months-long ordeal inside her matrimonial home.
According to the FIR, Twisha’s family provided gifts and dowry beyond their financial capacity during the wedding. At the time of the vidai — the ritual farewell of the bride — Giribala Singh allegedly demanded ₹2 lakh from Twisha’s family, which her parents paid under pressure.
The alleged harassment did not stop there. Shortly after the wedding, Twisha was reportedly subjected to taunts and pressure from both her husband and mother-in-law, who expressed dissatisfaction over the gifts and expenses at the wedding. In one of the most striking allegations in the FIR, Twisha was reportedly denied money for her own personal expenses after marriage — her parents had to regularly transfer funds to her online account simply for her daily needs. From January 2026 onwards, the family alleges, the mental and physical harassment escalated continuously.
The post-mortem report cited “antemortem hanging by ligature” — meaning the hanging occurred while she was alive — and noted the presence of multiple antemortem injuries, including marks consistent with assault by a heavy object or physical violence.
What Are the Charges?
The CBI has booked Samarth Singh and Giribala Singh under Sections 80(2), 85, and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act. These sections deal with cruelty against a married woman, dowry harassment, and criminal conspiracy. The same charges had originally been registered by the Madhya Pradesh state police.
The CBI will now investigate allegations of dowry death, harassment, conspiracy, and other possible offences, and is expected to examine digital evidence, financial transactions, phone records, and witness statements.
Timeline of the Case
December 9, 2025 — Twisha Sharma and Samarth Singh marry in Noida.
January 2026 onwards — According to the family’s complaint, continuous dowry-related mental and physical harassment begins.
May 12, 2026 — Twisha is found hanging at the marital home in Bhopal’s Katara Hills. Samarth Singh rushes her to AIIMS.
May 13, 2026 — Doctors declare her brought dead. A preliminary report is filed. Twisha’s family alleges dowry torture; the Singh family counters with claims of drug addiction.
May 14–22, 2026 — An FIR is registered against Samarth Singh and Giribala Singh. A magistrate court rejects Samarth’s anticipatory bail but grants relief to Giribala. Police announce a cash reward for Samarth’s arrest. He files a 69-page plea in the MP High Court alleging WhatsApp chats submitted by the complainant were “incomplete and edited.”
May 22–23, 2026 — Samarth Singh is arrested after a 10-day search operation and remanded to seven-day police custody.
May 24, 2026 — The Supreme Court takes suo motu cognisance of the case, citing “alleged institutional bias and procedural discrepancies.” An AIIMS Delhi team begins a court-ordered second autopsy. A bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, schedules the matter for hearing.
May 25, 2026 — The Madhya Pradesh SIT questions Samarth Singh for over three hours, conducts a two-hour crime scene recreation, then hands the probe to the CBI. The MP government formally recommends a CBI investigation. The Solicitor General informs the Supreme Court that the CBI will take over immediately.
May 26, 2026 — The CBI registers its own FIR, re-naming Samarth and Giribala Singh as accused, and begins active investigation in Bhopal.
What Is the Defence Claiming?
The Singh family has denied all allegations. Giribala Singh, the mother-in-law and a former judge, has questioned both Twisha’s alleged medical treatment and her mental state in media interviews. Samarth Singh, in his 69-page anticipatory bail plea before the MP High Court, alleged the WhatsApp chats submitted by the complainant were incomplete, edited, and tampered with — and therefore unreliable as evidence. He included screenshots of money transfers he claimed to have made to Twisha, described himself as having no criminal background, and called the dowry harassment allegations “very disappointing.”
During SIT questioning before the handover, Samarth told investigators that Twisha had been “distressed” following an abortion. Investigators noted he repeatedly attempted to mislead officials when questioned about his period of absconding.
Why Did the Supreme Court Step In?
The Supreme Court’s suo motu intervention — unusual in a state-level dowry death case — was triggered by media reports and “attending circumstances” raising questions about institutional bias, procedural lapses, and the fairness of the initial police investigation. The fact that the accused mother-in-law is a retired district and sessions judge raised concerns about the state police’s ability and willingness to conduct an impartial probe. The apex court registered the matter under the title: “Alleged institutional bias and procedural discrepancies in the unnatural death of a young girl at her matrimonial home.”
What Happens Next?
The CBI investigation beginning May 26 is expected to focus on four areas: the digital evidence trail, including WhatsApp chats and financial transactions between Twisha’s parents and her account; the second autopsy report from the AIIMS Delhi team, which will examine injuries and circumstances in detail; witness statements, including those of family members and neighbours; and Samarth Singh’s conduct during his period of absconding after Twisha’s death.
The MP High Court is scheduled to hear petitions challenging the anticipatory bail granted to Giribala Singh on May 27. The Supreme Court bench will also continue monitoring the investigation.
The case has resonated far beyond a single family’s tragedy. It has reignited debate about the persistent reality of dowry harassment in modern India — including in educated, professional households — and about whether institutions protect the powerful at the cost of justice for women who die inside the four walls of their matrimonial homes.
NewsArc Bureau | India Desk
