CBI charges former judge and son with dowry death of Twisha Sharma

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a chargesheet on August 17, 2026, against former Bhopal judge Giribala Singh and her son Samarth Singh for the death of model Twisha Sharma. The 650-page chargesheet, submitted in a Bhopal court, accuses the mother-son duo of dowry death, cruelty, and abetment to suicide under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Dowry Prohibition Act. Twisha, 34, was found hanging at her marital home on May 12, five months after her marriage to Samarth, a lawyer.

The CBI said Twisha was subjected to constant mental cruelty after refusing to transfer her Rs 20 lakh investment to a joint account with her husband. On the night of her death, Twisha sent her sister-in-law a message saying, "Let me die in peace," according to the chargesheet. Her family had alleged mental and physical torture over dowry. The Free Press Journal reports that the CBI also cited pressure on Twisha to transfer money for investment in Chinese companies.

The two accused remain in judicial custody in Bhopal jail. The CBI has sought more time to probe three aspects: dowry claims, tampering with CCTV footage, and evidence from Twisha's phone. Advocate Ankur Pandey, representing Twisha's family, told The Hindu that both post-mortem reports are "extremely contradictory". The family will analyse the chargesheet before deciding on a protest petition.