Twisha death case hearing scheduled in Bhopal:Court to decide preservation of crucial call records and CCTV footage today

In the death case of actress-model Twisha Sharma, separate applications have been filed in a Bhopal district court seeking preservation of call detail records (CDR) and CCTV footage. Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered an FIR against Twisha’s husband Samarth Singh and mother-in-law, retired judge Giribala Singh, on Monday night. In the FIR, the agency acknowledged allegations of monetary dowry demands. According to sources, advocate Ankur Pandey, representing Twisha’s family, submitted an application seeking preservation of call records. Another plea, filed on behalf of Giribala Singh, requested that CCTV footage related to the case also be preserved. Both applications are scheduled to be heard on Tuesday. Court defers hearing after police fail to submit report A hearing in the matter was scheduled on Monday, but Bhopal Police failed to submit its report before the court. Due to the absence of the report, the court adjourned the matter and granted additional time to police to file the required documents. The court is expected to hear both applications in detail, considering the seriousness of the case. Call records and CCTV footage considered crucial evidence Investigators believe the call records and CCTV footage could become key evidence in the case. Both parties have therefore sought court directions to ensure the material is preserved to avoid any technical or legal complications during the investigation and trial. Police are likely to submit their report during Tuesday’s hearing, following which the court may issue directions regarding preservation of the records and footage. CBI registers FIR against husband and mother-in-law The case is now being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation. A CBI team arrived in Bhopal on Monday and re-registered the FIR initially lodged at Katara Hills police station. The agency has named Twisha’s husband Samarth Singh and mother-in-law, retired judge Giribala Singh, in the case. The investigation has officially been transferred from Bhopal Police to the CBI. During the earlier police probe, allegations had surfaced that an additional demand of Rs 20 lakh was made. Based on these findings, the CBI registered a dowry death case. SIT questioned family members for over two hours On Monday evening around 7:30 pm, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) visited Samarth Singh’s residence in Bagh Mugalia Extension. Samarth Singh and Giribala Singh were questioned for nearly two-and-a-half hours. Later in the evening, the team also conducted a spot verification at the residence. Delay in informing police also under investigation According to investigators, Twisha allegedly died by suicide on the night of May 12 at around 10:20 pm. However, the medico-legal case was formally reported by AIIMS Bhopal only at 5 am on May 13. The CBI is now examining why there was a delay in informing police authorities. The agency is also expected to question the doctor who recorded the medico-legal case. Twisha’s family has repeatedly alleged that Giribala Singh and her son intentionally delayed informing police in an attempt to influence the investigation. According to the family, after doctors declared Twisha dead at the hospital, Samarth returned home, where he allegedly had the opportunity to tamper with evidence. The family claimed that since he is a criminal lawyer, there was a possibility of manipulation at the crime scene. Similar concerns have also been mentioned in the FIR registered by the CBI. Key Points Mentioned in the FIR High Court and Supreme Court also heard the matter Earlier on Monday, the matter was heard in both the Madhya Pradesh High Court and the Supreme Court of India. The Madhya Pradesh High Court issued a notice to retired judge Giribala Singh in connection with petitions filed by the state government and Twisha’s father Navnidhi Sharma challenging the anticipatory bail granted to her by the trial court. During the hearing, Advocate General Prashant Singh argued that Giribala Singh was not cooperating with the investigation. Her counsel, Mrigendra Singh, denied the allegation and sought time to file a response, stating that copies of the petition documents had not yet been received. During proceedings in the Supreme Court earlier in the day, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta also alleged that Giribala Singh was obstructing the investigation. Supreme Court urges both sides to avoid public statements The Supreme Court took suo motu cognisance of the matter and heard the case on Monday. Chief Justice Surya Kant observed that the media should avoid running after statements made by either side and allow the legal process to proceed fairly. He also remarked that he was disturbed by attempts to question the impartiality of the judiciary. AIIMS Delhi team conducted second postmortem On Sunday, a team from All India Institute of Medical Sciences conducted a second postmortem examination of Twisha’s body at AIIMS Bhopal. Twelve days after her death, Twisha Sharma was cremated at Bhadbhada crematorium, where her brother Major Harshit performed the last rites. Twisha died under suspicious circumstances on the night of May 12 in Katara Hills, Bhopal. While her in-laws have described the case as suicide, her parental family has accused her husband and in-laws of murder.