Twisha Sharma dowry death case: Bhopal court denies Giribala Singh bail

A special court in Bhopal rejected Giribala Singh's bail plea in the Twisha Sharma dowry death case. The court accepted the CBI's argument that her release could affect witnesses and the investigation.

In Short

• Twisha Sharma was found hanging at her Bhopal home on May 12
• CBI accused Singh and her son of dowry harassment and domestic violence
• Defence cited age, illness and dependence of her nearly centenarian mother

A special court in Bhopal on Saturday rejected the bail plea of retired judge Giribala Singh in the dowry death case linked to former model and actor Twisha Sharma, holding that the charges against her were serious.

Singh, Twisha Sharma's mother-in-law, is among the accused in the case, which is being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation. Twisha was allegedly found hanging at her marital home in Bhopal on May 12. Singh and her son Samarth Singh were later arrested on charges of dowry-related harassment, mental abuse and domestic violence.

The bail application was initially listed before Special Judge Neelam Shukla, who recused herself from hearing the matter. It was then transferred to the court of Special Judge Ram Pratap Mishra, where detailed arguments were heard. The court reserved its order on Friday after hearing the prosecution and the defence.

The defence sought bail on humanitarian grounds, saying Singh was an elderly woman with health issues and was not getting adequate medical care in jail. It also said her nearly 100-year-old mother depended on her for care. The defence further argued that Singh had cooperated with the investigation, that a burglary had taken place at her residence while she was in custody, and that she received a regular salary and a war widow's pension, making the allegation of dowry demand implausible.

Opposing the plea, the CBI argued that being a woman alone could not be a ground for bail, especially when the deceased was also a woman. The agency told the court that the Madhya Pradesh High Court had on May 27 quashed the anticipatory bail granted to Singh by a subordinate court in Bhopal. It also said she had refused to provide her voice sample during the investigation.

The CBI further alleged that Singh had tried to influence the investigation by contacting a CCTV technician and a salon operator connected with the case, and had sent a private representative to obtain CCTV footage. The agency said there was a risk that, if released on bail, she could influence witnesses, tamper with evidence or hamper the ongoing investigation. After hearing both sides, the special court rejected Giribala Singh's bail application.

- Ends