Madhya Pradesh Seeks CBI Probe Into Dowry Death Case

Amid allegations of dowry harassment, the Madhya Pradesh government will seek a CBI probe into the death of Twisha Sharma, as her family raises concerns about the integrity of the initial investigation and the preservation of crucial forensic evidence.

With a court rejecting a plea for a second autopsy of Twisha Sharma, the Noida woman who was allegedly harassed for dowry and died last week, her family stated that "unnecessary bureaucratic delays" could lead to decomposition of the body and adversely affect the crucial forensic evidence.

In a day of fast-paced developments, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said the state government will seek a CBI probe into Sharma's death.

Demand For CBI Investigation Intensifies

During the day, the magistrate court heard the arguments on a plea filed by the woman's side seeking a second postmortem at AIIMS Delhi.

In the evening, Judicial Magistrate (First class) said it was beyond her powers to clear a second autopsy outside the court's jurisdiction but directed the police to ensure that the body was well preserved after identifying a "low temperature preservation facility" in Madhya Pradesh.

The magistrate also made a verbal observation that the investigations held so far do not warrant a second postmortem.

The Madhya Pradesh government will seek a CBI probe into the death of Twisha Sharma, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav assured family members from her side.

They met CM Yadav at the state secretariat and sought a fair probe into her death.

During the meeting, the chief minister assured them to provide all the possible assistance from the state government, an official statement said.

The CM said he would write to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), urging it to take up the probe into the case, the statement added.

Family Alleges Dowry Harassment And Questions Police Investigation

The family also issued a statement amid an increasingly bitter and high-profile dispute surrounding the death of the 33-year-old Sharma, a former model and actor, who was found hanging at her matrimonial residence in Bhopal's Katara Hills area on May 12, with the victim's family accusing her in-laws of pushing their daughter to death, while the groom's side claims the deceased was addicted to drugs.

Police registered an FIR under Sections 80(2), 85, and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita along with relevant sections of the Dowry Prohibition Act, naming her husband, advocate Samarth Singh, and her mother-in-law, Giribala Singh, a retired Additional District Judge.

While Giribala Singh secured bail, Samarth Singh remains absconding, prompting the police to deploy multiple tracking teams and announce a cash reward of Rs 10,000 for information leading to his arrest.

Casting aspersions over the investigation carried out by the local police, the family expressed surprise over the letter written by the Bhopal police to the father of the victim, asking him to take the body amid concerns over its decomposition at the hospital.

Family members of Twisha said that they had been writing letters to the AIIMS Bhopal asking them to preserve the mortal remains.

While maintaining that the police had no objection to the second postmortem, the police asked the family of Twisha to collect her body from AIIMS Bhopal mortuary because, at present, it is kept at minus four degrees Celsius, and the hospital has informed the police that to prevent decomposition, the body has to be kept at minus 80 degrees Celsius, a facility not available at the hospital.

Police Response And Family's Concerns Over Forensic Evidence

Bhopal Commissioner of Police Sanjay Kumar said they had no objection to a second postmortem.

"The family members of the deceased came to me and submitted an application. I told them police have no objection to another post-mortem," Kumar told PTI.

He said police have carried out the investigation and examined the evidence.

The father of the deceased expressed "deep anxiety" over the potential deterioration of crucial forensic clues while remaining at the AIIMS Bhopal mortuary, and the family fears that any unnecessary procedural or bureaucratic delays will lead to decomposition, irreversibly affecting crucial forensic findings and prejudicing the cause of justice.

The family asserted that the request for an independent medical opinion from a premier national institution like AIIMS New Delhi is aimed solely at eliminating any lingering doubts regarding the actual cause and circumstances of her death.

Taking a swipe at the main accused, Giribala Singh, the family said,"If the accused genuinely believes in her innocence and has nothing to hide, then she should herself support and consent to the family's request for a second postmortem at AIIMS Delhi, so that the mortal remains of Twisha Sharma may finally be cremated peacefully and with dignity."

Family Seeks Review Of Accused's Official Position

The family raised grave objections regarding reports that an individual currently out on bail allegedly utilised official judicial office premises to interact with the media and issue statements targeting Twisha.

Navnidhi Sharma, the father of the late Twisha Sharma, also submitted an urgent constitutional representation to Madhya Pradesh Governor Mangubhai C Patel seeking an immediate administrative review regarding the continuation of Giribala Singh in her quasi-judicial office, as she is associated with the state's Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission.

"The medico-legal observations recorded within the FIR itself further note that the provisional post-mortem opinion refers to 'death due to antemortem hanging by ligature' and additionally notes 'multiple antemortem injuries possible by blunt force over other parts of the body.'

"These circumstances have caused grave concern and apprehension in the minds of the grieving family regarding the true sequence of events preceding the death of the deceased," a letter said.

The letter stated that the FIR explicitly details allegations of continuous dowry harassment, cruelty, and persistent mental and physical torture inflicted upon Twisha following her marriage on December 9, 2025.

Invoking Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India, Navnidhi Sharma argued that allowing an individual facing serious criminal charges to maintain an active adjudicatory role severely threatens public confidence in institutional neutrality and creates a reasonable apprehension of influence.

The plea stressed the landmark legal principle established by the Supreme Court that "justice must not only be done but must also appear to have been done".

In the statement, the family pointed out that the deceased cannot defend herself against public allegations or insinuations.

"Whether ordinary citizens have any protection under law when influential persons are involved, or whether public institutions can be used to influence narratives against a deceased victim who can no longer speak for herself?" the family asked in a sharp constitutional query addressed to civil society and authorities.

Call For Preservation Of Digital Evidence

The family has explicitly sought the preservation of Call Detail Records (CDRs), tower location data, electronic communications, internet usage logs, and WhatsApp/digital metadata for a staggering list of 46 specific mobile numbers which include all associated persons, individuals involved in the transportation or handling of Twisha's body, residential staff, domestic servants, drivers, close associates, and legal representatives directly or indirectly associated with the events immediately preceding and following the incident.

Earlier in the day, more than 50 ex-servicemen set out on motorbikes in Bhopal, demanding justice for Twisha Sharma and seeking a fresh post-mortem examination.

They also demanded that the probe into the case be transferred outside Madhya Pradesh.

Notably, Twisha Sharma's brother serves as a Major in the Indian Army.