The Madhya Pradesh High Court has rejected the regular bail application of former judicial officer Giribala Singh, who is accused of allegedly subjecting her daughter-in-law, Twisha Sharma, to mental cruelty and instigating her son, Samarth Singh, to harass her.
Justice Ajay Kumar Nirankari was hearing Giribala Singh’s first bail application under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). She has been in custody since June 2, 2026, in the CBI-registered case involving offences under Sections 80(2), 85, 108 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act.
Opposing the bail plea, the CBI and the deceased’s family relied on WhatsApp conversations in which Twisha allegedly complained of mental harassment, including her husband questioning the paternity of her unborn child. In messages dated May 11, she described feeling suffocated and trapped in her matrimonial home.
On the night of May 12, Twisha allegedly told her sister-in-law that her husband had become aggressive and violent. At 9:36 pm, she messaged: “Ask him to collect left over of his wife. But tomorrow. Let me die in peace right now.” The Court also noted CCTV footage showing Giribala Singh and her son going towards the terrace, followed by the men carrying Twisha downstairs. Both post-mortem reports attributed her death to antemortem hanging.
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Rejecting the argument that there was no material to establish mens rea or abetment, the Court observed that the allegations and the respective roles of the accused required further investigation and examination during trial. It noted that forensic examination of the deceased’s iPhone and CCTV footage was still awaited. The Court observed:
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“Having regard to the WhatsApp conversations exchanged by the deceased with her family members immediately prior to the incident, the CCTV footage collected during investigation, the circumstances in which the deceased was found and the material relating to the subsequent conduct of the accused persons, this Court is of the view that the allegations and the respective roles of the accused persons require further investigation and careful examination during trial. At this stage, the contention regarding absence of mens rea cannot be considered in isolation from the other circumstances emerging from the case diary.”
The Court further noted that the investigation under Section 193(9) of the BNSS was continuing and important forensic and digital extraction reports were yet to be received. Finding that the nature and gravity of the allegations and the material collected did not warrant bail at this stage, the High Court rejected Giribala Singh’s application.
Background of the case
Twisha married Samarth Singh, an advocate practising in Bhopal, on December 9, 2025. She allegedly faced mental harassment from her husband, while Giribala Singh allegedly instigated him and shielded him whenever Twisha complained about the treatment. The prosecution further alleged that the deceased was taunted over her modelling and acting career, kept under surveillance at her matrimonial home and pressured to transfer investments worth approximately ₹20 lakh into a joint bank account. Twisha died on May 12, 2026, at her matrimonial home.
