The Madhya Pradesh High Court, on Wednesday, reserved its decision regarding the challenge against the anticipatory bail granted to Giribala Singh and other in-laws of Twisha Sharma in a dowry death case. Justice Devnarayan Mishra presided over the hearing.
Representing Twisha Sharma’s father, Senior Advocate Sidharth Luthra argued that the anticipatory bail was prematurely granted. He emphasized that the bail was confirmed without proper investigation participation by the accused, and highlighted the nature of the case, which involved a death within seven years of marriage under suspicious circumstances. Luthra stated, “The anticipatory bail was granted without any apprehension of arrest, and the FIR took three days to register.”
Justice Mishra pointed out that the inquest notice was served on May 13, to which Luthra responded by questioning the timing and stressing the severity of the case. Additionally, the counsel for the victim’s family argued that the accused had accessed and possibly manipulated evidence from the crime scene.
Challenging the bail granted to retired judge Giribala Singh, Luthra contended, “The bail was granted based on her age and lack of criminal history, which are not uncommon among mothers-in-law.” He also raised concerns about the delayed FIR registration despite the police’s early presence at the scene.
Advocate General Prashant Singh, representing the Central Bureau of Investigation, argued that the trial court conducted a mini-trial while hearing the bail applications. He criticized the anticipatory bail conditions, asserting that the accused violated them by holding a press conference that distorted the prosecution’s case.
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Senior Advocate Nitya Ramakrishnan, representing Giribala Singh, defended against these allegations, arguing that her client did not evade police notices and had been cooperative. She also refuted claims of dowry demands, maintaining that there was no evidence of harassment by Giribala Singh.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, via video conference, urged the court to reconsider the bail decision, highlighting the potential influence of Giribala Singh’s status on the judicial process.
Twisha Sharma, a Noida resident, was married to Bhopal-based lawyer Samarth Singh five months before her death on May 12. Her family accused the in-laws of domestic violence and dowry harassment, leading to the registration of an FIR by the Katara Hills police station. While Giribala Singh received anticipatory bail, Samarth Singh’s bail plea was withdrawn after the High Court’s directive. The High Court has also ordered a second post-mortem by AIIMS, New Delhi, to determine the cause of death.
