The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a 636-page chargesheet against lawyer Samarth Singh and his mother, former district judge Giribala Singh, in connection with the death of model-turned-actor Twisha Sharma in Bhopal.
The chargesheet was filed before a special CBI court on Monday, nearly three months after Sharma was found dead at her matrimonial home on May 12. The agency has accused her husband and mother-in-law of dowry-related harassment, cruelty and abetment to suicide.
The CBI has invoked 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. The charges relate to alleged dowry harassment, cruelty by a husband or his relatives, abetment to suicide and acting with common intention.
According to investigators, the evidence collected during the probe points to what the agency describes as sustained mental cruelty and emotional distress in Sharma’s matrimonial life. The chargesheet reportedly draws on digital communications, witness statements, CCTV footage and other evidence to reconstruct the circumstances surrounding her death.
The CBI has also examined Sharma’s final hours. Her communications shortly before her death have become an important part of the investigation. The chargesheet reportedly includes a message she sent to her sister-in-law shortly before she went to the terrace of the house, which investigators say reflected severe emotional distress.
The agency’s case is that the alleged treatment she faced from her husband and mother-in-law contributed to her decision to take her own life. Investigators have examined allegations of matrimonial conflict, emotional pressure and dowry-related demands as part of their reconstruction of the events leading to her death.
The medical findings have also provided an important piece of evidence in the case. A five-member AIIMS medical board, conducting a court-ordered second postmortem, concluded that Sharma died by suicide and found no significant injuries indicating physical assault or a struggle. The board’s forensic opinion was submitted to the CBI in July.
The medical board’s findings have helped settle questions surrounding the manner of death, according to reports. The examination concluded that the death resulted from ante-mortem hanging and was suicidal in manner. Investigators also examined the material used as the ligature during the forensic process.
However, Sharma’s family has rejected the CBI’s conclusion that she died by suicide. Relatives have continued to allege that she was murdered and have expressed dissatisfaction with the chargesheet. They have also questioned whether the agency’s findings adequately address all the circumstances surrounding her death.
The difference between the family’s allegation and the CBI’s case is significant. The agency has charged Singh and Giribala Singh with offences connected to abetment to suicide and alleged matrimonial cruelty, rather than murder. The medical examination has also not found evidence of physical assault or struggle.
Both accused are currently in judicial custody, according to reports. Giribala Singh’s background as a former district judge has added public attention to the case, while her son Samarth Singh is a lawyer. They will have an opportunity to contest the allegations before the court.
The chargesheet marks a major stage in the investigation but does not establish guilt. The allegations made by the CBI will have to be tested through the judicial process, and the prosecution will need to establish its case with evidence during the proceedings.
The investigation itself involved several stages. The CBI began its probe on May 25 after taking over the case and subsequently examined material relating to Sharma’s marriage, communications and the circumstances surrounding her death. The agency was also granted additional time by the court to complete its investigation before filing the final report.
The case has drawn attention to wider concerns surrounding dowry harassment, domestic cruelty and mental abuse in marriages. Unlike physical violence, psychological abuse can be difficult to establish because it may not leave visible injuries. Investigators in this case have sought to build their allegations through communications, witness accounts and other documentary evidence.
The CBI’s 636-page filing is expected to provide the prosecution’s detailed account of the relationship and the events preceding Sharma’s death. The court will now examine the charges and supporting evidence before determining the next stage of proceedings.
