HC allows 2nd autopsy of Twisha Sharma; notice to mother-in-law on pleas seeking bail cancellation

The Madhya Pradesh High Court ordered a second autopsy in the Twisha Sharma dowry death case, following a petition from her family alleging harassment for dowry.

The high-profile Twisha Sharma dowry death case saw fast-paced developments on Friday with the Madhya Pradesh High Court ordering a second autopsy by a specialised AIIMS Delhi team, while the victim's absconding husband withdrew his anticipatory bail plea and his mother, a retired judge, was served a notice for the cancellation of her bail over non-cooperation with the police.

Twisha Sharma, a 33-year-old model-turned-actor from Noida, was found hanging at her marital home in Bhopal's Katara Hills area on May 12. While her in-laws allege she suffered with drug addiction, her family maintains she was harassed for dowry leading to her death.

Hearing a petition filed by Twisha's family, a single-bench of the High Court asked the state government to make immediate arrangements for flying a specialised team of doctors from All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, to Bhopal for the second autopsy, advocate Akur Pandey, the family's lawyer told PTI.

The decision comes just two days after Judicial Magistrate First Class Anudita Gupta in Bhopal rejected the family's request for a second postmortem and also suggested that the probe so far did not warrant any such action.

In a related development, the Madhya Pradesh home department issued a notification stating that it had proposed to transfer the investigation of the case to the CBI, and the state government had given the necessary consent under the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act.

Samarth Singh, Twisha's absconding husband, on Friday withdrew his anticipatory bail application filed in the High Court, said his lawyer Jaydeep Kaurav. With the withdrawal of the application, Singh, himself a lawyer, is left with no other option but to surrender.

He had filed the anticipatory bail application after a lower court turned down his plea last week.

The High Court on Friday also issued a notice to his mother and ex-judge Giribala Singh, named in the case as an accused along with Samarth, on pleas seeking cancellation of her anticipatory bail filed by Twisha's father as well as the state government.

Justice Avanindra Kumar Singh fixed the hearing on the petitions for May 25.

Police had on Thursday issued the third and final notice for recording of statement to Giribala Singh. It also initiated a probe to decide whether Singh can continue as chairperson of the consumer court, an official circular said.

''If she does not cooperate, we will move the sessions court seeking cancellation of her bail,'' Bhopal Commissioner of Police Sanjay Kumar had told PTI on Thursday.

Twisha's family, meanwhile, on Friday demanded a comprehensive and independent probe into a series of phone calls allegedly made by Giribala Singh to influential public figures and CCTV technicians immediately following her death.

The family issued a statement the day after Giribala Singh informed the First Class Judicial Magistrate that eight CCTVs installed at her premises were being managed by a private company. She also informed that the gadgets were not being maintained properly, as a result of which the footage showed a difference of two days, two hours and 20 minutes.

Giribala Singh had said in her application on Thursday that the wrong date was creating confusion among the general public.

Twisha's family in its statement expressing ''serious concern'' and questioned why the accused was allegedly in quick contact with judges, top officials, and CCTV vendors, while the victim's own parents were left in the dark.

The family cited documents submitted in the court to claim that Giribala Singh had called some senior members of the judiciary and Lokayukta and technicians associated with CCTV maintenance.

Though some of these communications have publicly been defended by the accused as condolence calls, the victim's family strongly questioned the timing and the inclusion of technical staff.

''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.

They said the CCTV footage and digital records are crucial pieces of evidence in any suspicious death investigation and urged the police to probe and verify the purpose, timing and context of every such communication independently through forensic and investigative processes so that no doubt remains regarding the integrity of the evidence.

Following Twisha's death, Bhopal police registered an FIR under Sections 80(2) (dowry death), 85 (husband or relatives of the husband subjecting married woman to cruelty) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita along with relevant provisions of the Dowry Prohibition Act against Samarth Singh and his mother.

Police also announced a cash reward of Rs 30,000 for information leading to Samarth Singh's arrest.