The Madhya Pradesh High Court has refused to grant bail to former judicial officer Giribala Singh, who is facing allegations of cruelty and abetment of suicide in connection with the death of her daughter-in-law, Twisha Sharma.
The Court held that WhatsApp conversations exchanged by the deceased with her family members pointed towards severe mental distress in the period leading up to her death. It also observed that several aspects of the case, including the conduct of the accused and their communications with influential individuals, required further investigation.
The case, titled Giribala Singh v. State of Madhya Pradesh, concerns the death of Twisha Sharma, a Noida resident who married Bhopal-based lawyer Samarth Singh after the two met through a dating application. Around five months after the marriage, she was found hanging at her matrimonial residence in Bhopal on May 12.
Giribala Singh, Samarth’s mother, has been accused of subjecting Twisha to cruelty and abetting her suicide.
WhatsApp Chats Point to Severe Mental Distress
In its October 26 order, Justice Ajay Kumar Nirankari examined WhatsApp conversations between Twisha and her mother and sister-in-law. The Court noted that the messages prima facie suggested that she had been subjected to persistent mental harassment and cruelty by the accused persons.
Particular attention was drawn to a conversation dated May 9, 2026, in which Twisha reportedly expressed anguish over her husband’s remarks questioning the paternity of the child she had aborted.
The Court recorded that Twisha had allegedly told her sister-in-law that her husband had crossed all limits by asking whether the child was his or someone else’s, and whether that was the reason for the abortion.
She reportedly described feeling suffocated in the marital relationship and said she could no longer endure the situation. The messages also indicated that she had expressed thoughts of ending her life.
The Court further considered conversations in which Twisha said that her in-laws suspected her of consuming drugs and attributed her disturbed mental condition to such alleged consumption, without appreciating the circumstances she was facing.
“These conversations, at this stage, prima facie indicate the mental distress allegedly experienced by the deceased prior to the incident,” the Court observed.
Communications With Influential Persons Under Scrutiny
The High Court also noted allegations that Giribala Singh had contacted certain influential persons around the time of the incident.
The circumstances surrounding those communications, the Court said, would have to be examined as part of the ongoing investigation.
Taking into account the WhatsApp messages, CCTV footage, the circumstances in which Twisha was found and the subsequent conduct of the accused, the Court concluded that the allegations and the respective roles of the accused required further investigation and careful scrutiny during trial.
CBI Probe, Forensic Reports Still Pending
Twisha’s family has alleged that her husband and in-laws subjected her to sustained domestic violence and harassment over dowry demands. An FIR was registered at Katara Hills police station under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Dowry Prohibition Act.
Giribala Singh, who previously served as President of the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Madhya Pradesh, was initially granted anticipatory bail by a sessions court. The High Court subsequently cancelled the relief after the State government and Twisha’s family challenged the order.
The investigation was later transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which arrested Giribala Singh and Samarth Singh.
The CBI has filed a chargesheet against them under Sections 85 and 108 of the BNS, dealing with cruelty by a husband or his relatives and abetment of suicide, respectively.
Seeking bail, Giribala Singh argued that although she was unhappy with Twisha’s decision to terminate her pregnancy, she had neither subjected her daughter-in-law to cruelty nor abetted her suicide.
Her counsel also contended that there had been no allegation of evidence tampering since the CBI took over the investigation.
The Court, however, noted that crucial investigative steps remained incomplete.
Data extraction from Twisha’s iPhone was still awaited. The Court said the material could reveal further evidence relevant to the allegations and help identify additional witnesses.
The forensic examination of CCTV footage from the digital video recorder (DVR) installed at Giribala Singh’s residence was also pending. The extracted data had been sent to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) in Delhi to determine the continuity and authenticity of the recordings.
The Court observed that any indication of alteration or tampering with the recorded material could necessitate further investigation.
In view of the evidence on record and the pending investigative steps, the High Court declined to grant bail to Giribala Singh.
Senior Advocates Surendra Singh and Ajay Gupta appeared for Giribala Singh. Additional Solicitor General Sunil Jain and Deputy Solicitor General Mohan Guru represented the CBI, while Senior Advocates Siddharth Luthra and Siddharth Agrawal appeared for the complainant.