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The investigation into the death of Noida resident Twisha Sharma, who died on May 12, has taken a major turn, with the CBI arresting her mother-in-law, Giribala Singh, on Thursday.
The CBI informed Principal District Judge Manoj Kumar Srivastava about the arrest, and officials said the team arrived with the necessary arrest papers. Giribala Singh is likely to be produced before the court on Friday. The arrest came after the Madhya Pradesh High Court cancelled her anticipatory bail in the case a day earlier. The High Court set aside the relief previously granted to Singh on May 15 by the 10th Additional Sessions Judge in Bhopal. Twisha Sharma, a resident of Noida in Uttar Pradesh, was married to Bhopal resident Samarth Singh in December 2025. Following her death on May 12, her family alleged that she was harassed for dowry by her husband and in-laws. The case involves serious allegations under the newly implemented Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961. Giribala Singh faces charges under Section 80(2) for dowry death, Section 85 for cruelty to a woman by her husband or relatives, and Section 3(5) for acts done by several persons in furtherance of a common intention. Additionally, she has been booked under Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act. With the pre-arrest protection overturned by the High Court, law enforcement authorities are now cleared to pursue necessary investigative measures, including potential custodial interrogation. Further investigation into the circumstances surrounding Twisha Sharma's death remains underway. This comes after the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Monday fast-tracked the legal proceedings surrounding the unnatural death of Twisha Sharma, scheduling an urgent hearing for May 27 at 2:30 PM. The Supreme Court of India on Monday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take over the investigation and proceed with the matter expeditiously. It also urged both the family of deceased victim Twisha Sharma and the accused persons -- Twisha's husband Samarth Singh and her mother-in-law, a former judge -- to refrain from making public statements on the ongoing investigation into the death case. On May 24, the last rites of Twisha Sharma were performed by her brother, Major Harshit Sharma, at the crematorium in Bhopal, after her mortal remains were handed over to her family following the conclusion of the second autopsy from a team from AIIMS Delhi. Twisha's family had refused to receive the body until a second post-mortem was conducted. The action was initiated after a Bhopal court authorised the Director of AIIMS Delhi to oversee the procedure following a formal request from the Madhya Pradesh state government. The team, with their latest instruments, are on the way to Bhopal. A Bhopal court on Saturday remanded Samarth Singh, who was on the run since the case, the prime accused in the death of his wife Twisha Sharma, to seven days of police custody. The court granted the remand from May 23 to 29 to facilitate further interrogation after the police produced Samarth Singh to the Court. Samarth Singh was taken into custody from Jabalpur on May 22. Three notices have also been served to his mother and a former judge, Giribala Singh. Further, the Bar Council of India (BCI) has passed an interim order suspending advocate Samarth Singh from legal practice with immediate effect in connection with allegations arising out of the death of his wife, Twisha Sharma, within a few months of marriage. In a press release, BCI Chairman and Senior Advocate Manan Kumar Mishra stated that an FIR has been registered against Samarth Singh and others in relation to allegations of dowry death, cruelty and allied offences. The BCI also noted that Singh, who is the husband of the deceased, is allegedly absconding and not cooperating with the investigation. Several celebrities and political leaders have expressed concern and extended support to the family of Twisha Sharma following her death, with reactions highlighting issues of alleged dowry harassment and marital distress. Congress leader Mumtaz Patel expressed concern over the death of Twisha, saying the behaviour and conduct of her mother-in-law, Judge Giriwala, appeared "very shocking" and gave the impression that the victim was "very sad." She said the case is now being examined from multiple angles, adding that while the court will decide whether it is a case of murder or not, she felt the victim had been "driven in whatever way to die." While speaking with ANI, Patel said, "The attitude of her mother-in-law, Judge Giriwala, was very shocking. Her attitude, her reasoning and her body language made me believe that somewhere Twisha was very sad. Now the case will proceed; today, it is being done from another angle as well." Popular actor Ridhi Dogra also shared a hard-hitting note on social media, urging today's youth to stop "romanticising marriage." Reacting to the heartbreaking news, Ridhi Dogra took to Instagram to deliver a much-needed reality check to young men and women about how modern relationships, independence, and societal norms have drastically shifted from the generation of their parents. In a deeply reflective Instagram post, Ridhi emphasised that marriage in 2026 is no longer about survival or blind obedience, but must be built on mutual understanding. Actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut has expressed deep concerns over the rising "tragic news about married young women" after recent deaths allegedly due to dowry harassment. On her Instagram handle, Kangana noted how the young women reach out to their parents and seek help, only to get abandoned by society after their marriage. "So much tragic news about married young women comes up every day, many of these young, educated ladies even beg their parents to help them out of suffocating situations before tragedies strike them, but Indian society is notorious for abandoning daughters once they are married," she wrote. (ANI)
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