Politics

Why did Twisha Sharmas mother-in-law call judges, CCTV vendors? Family seeks answers

The family of Twisha Sharma, a model-turned-actor who was found dead at her marital home in Bhopal earlier this month, has sought a probe into a series of phone calls allegedly made by her mother-in-law, retired additional district judge Giribala Singh, shortly after the incident.

Bhopal police have issued a third and final notice to Giribala Singh for recording her statement in connection with the case. (PTI)

In a detailed statement, the family questioned why Giribala Singh was allegedly in contact with senior public officials, members of the judiciary and technicians linked to CCTV maintenance immediately after Twisha’s death, while the victim’s parents were left in the dark, news agency PTI reported.

Meanwhile, the Madhya Pradesh government has asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take over the probe into Twisha’s death allegedly due to harassment by in-laws.

Post-incident communications

Family’s statement came a day after Giribala Singh informed a First Class Judicial Magistrate that eight CCTV cameras installed at her residence were being managed by a private company and were not being maintained properly. According to her submission before the court, the footage reflected an incorrect timestamp, showing a discrepancy of two days, two hours and 20 minutes.

Also read | Twisha Sharma dowry death case: Ex-judge Giribala Singh gets final notice for recording statement

She stated in her plication that the wrong date and time in the footage was creating confusion among the public.

Twisha’s family, however, said the sequence of communications that allegedly took place after the incident needed closer scrutiny. Referring to documents submitted in court, the family claimed Giribala Singh had contacted senior members of the judiciary, Lokayukta officials and technicians associated with CCTV systems.

Though some of the calls have been described publicly as condolence calls, the family questioned the timing of those conversations and the involvement of technical personnel.

Also read | Twisha Sharma’s kin demand probe into her mother-in-law’s calls to public figures, CCTV technicians

While the family respects every individual who expressed sympathy… it is unable to understand how persons associated with CCTV maintenance or technical services became relevant participants in such communications immediately after the incident, the statement said.

The family further said CCTV footage and digital records are important pieces of evidence in any suspicious death investigation and urged investigators to independently verify the purpose and context of each communication.

This is not an allegation but a legitimate question which deserves clarification through a fair and transparent investigation, the statement added.

Questions over investigation and public statements

The family also expressed concern that while multiple high-level communications were allegedly taking place, they themselves were struggling to obtain information about their daughter’s condition and the circumstances surrounding her death.

Also read | Twisha dowry death: Mother-in-law seeks recording of DVR contents by police

A grieving mother and father were desperately searching for answers regarding the condition and circumstances of their daughter, yet they found themselves dependent upon fragmented information, the statement said.

It also questioned how Giribala Singh, who is facing criminal allegations in the case, was allegedly able to give interviews while the investigation remained active.

Twisha Sharma is no longer alive to explain her version of events. She cannot answer allegations… The focus should remain on discovering the truth rather than questioning the character of a person who cannot respond, the family stated.

Police action and legal proceedings

Twisha Sharma was found hanging at her marital home in Bhopal’s Katara Hills area on May 12. Her family has accused her in-laws of harassing her for dowry and driving her to death. Her in-laws have claimed that she was addicted to drugs.

Also read | Bhopal ‘dowry death’ case: Lookout notice issued against deceased woman’s absconding husband

Police registered an FIR under Sections 80(2), 85 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita along with relevant sections of the Dowry Prohibition Act against Twisha’s husband Samarth Singh and Giribala Singh.

Top Developments in case

MP govt seeks CBI probe

The Madhya Pradesh has asked the CBI to take over the probe into the death of Twisha Sharma.

Ex-judge Giribala Singh gets final notice from police

Bhopal police have issued a third and final notice to Giribala Singh for recording her statement in connection with the case. She has been booked along with Twisha Sharma’s husband in the dowry harassment case.

Absconding husband moves High Court for anticipatory bail

Samarth Singh, who is currently absconding, has proached the Madhya Pradesh High Court seeking pre-arrest bail. In his plea, he claimed that his family was cooperating with investigators and argued that custodial interrogation was not necessary.

Friends and relatives protest at Jantar Mantar

Relatives and friends of Twisha Sharma staged a protest at Jantar Mantar demanding a CBI investigation into her death. The protest took place days after the 33-year-old was found hanging at her marital home in Bhopal.

Autopsy says death caused by hanging

The post-mortem report stated that Twisha Sharma died due to antemortem hanging by ligature. The report also noted several simple injuries caused by blunt force on different parts of her body.

(With inputs from ANI, PTI)

Politics

Intense mediation: Signs of progress amid efforts to reach US-Iran deal

Live updates,

A new opinion poll in the US suggests that 60 percent of Americans now oppose President Donald Trump’s war on Iran.

Published On 22 May 2026

Iran’s ISNA news agency says mediated discussions between Tehran and Washington are ongoing, with the two sides exchanging messages and draft texts in an effort to establish a formal framework for an agreement to end the conflict.
Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Tehran reports that Pakistani officials are engaged in intense mediation activity, while a senior Iranian official said a deal was close, though a second Iranian source said it was too early to say whether a final agreement could be reached.

Politics

Man caught on CCTV throwing packet-like object at Kolkatas Howrah station which sparked fire; probe on

Security agencies have launched a probe after CCTVs, installed at Kolkata’s Howrah station in West Bengal, showed a man dumping an object near the cab road, which caught fire on Tuesday afternoon.

Howrah station is the country’s oldest and busiest railway station. The station complex, with its 24 platforms, registers more than a million passengers every day.

Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw held a high-level security review meeting at Rail Bhawan in New Delhi on Thursday.

It was noted during the meeting that in the last few days, the involvement of anti-social elements has emerged during the initial probe into multiple incidents, including some recent fire incidents. Indian Railways has taken these incidents seriously, and the RPF is actively probing them,” the Railways said in a statement.

“In several cases, prompt and proactive action by Railways helped avert major eventualities. It was also felt that, besides strengthening intelligence systems and the use of technology to process inputs faster, Railways will further encourage passengers to actively support efforts in containing anti-social activities during their journey and while waiting at station premises. Railways has thus urged passengers to remain alert and vigilant while travelling. Any suspicious activity or suspicious person noticed on railway premises should be immediately reported on the Railway helpline number 139, it added.

Politics

Toilets and changing rooms must be used on basis of biological sex, guidance confirms

Politics

Gaza sisters win Earth Prize for turning war rubble into bricks

NewsFeed

Palestinian sisters Tala and Farah Mousa turned the rubble of their bombed Gaza home into reusable bricks for reconstruction. The pair became the first Palestinian team to win the 2026 Earth Prize Middle East award.

Published On 21 May 2026