Bhopal, July 14: A Bhopal district court on Tuesday extended the judicial custody of former district judge Giribala Singh and her son Samarth Singh till July 28 in the Twisha Sharma death case after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) informed the court that the two accused had not cooperated during the collection of their voice samples.
The hearing was conducted through video conferencing amid heavy security at the court premises. The CBI sought extension of the judicial custody, informing the court that both accused had failed to cooperate during the voice sample collection carried out on July 6. Counsel for Twisha Sharma’s family, Advocate Ankur Pandey, said Samarth Singh refused to provide his voice sample, while Giribala Singh initially gave one sample but later declined to continue the process.
“The CBI informed the court that both accused did not cooperate during the voice sample collection and sought extension of their judicial custody. Accepting the agency’s submission, the court extended their custody till July 28,” Pandey told reporters after the hearing. The court also heard an application filed by the victim actress-model Twisha’s family seeking a copy of the post-mortem report.
According to the family’s lawyers, AIIMS Bhopal informed the court that the post-mortem report and related documents had already been submitted to the CBI in a sealed cover and, therefore, could not be provided separately. AIIMS Delhi is yet to respond to a similar request. Sources said a five-member medical board of AIIMS Delhi submitted its final forensic report to the CBI in a sealed cover on July 10.
Though the contents of the report have not been made public, it is expected to play an important role in the investigation. Giribala Singh and Samarth Singh have been lodged in Bhopal Central Jail since June 2 after the completion of their CBI custody. The two have been in judicial custody since then as the CBI continues its probe.
Twisha Sharma was found dead at her matrimonial home in Bhopal’s Katara Hills area on the night of May 12. While her in-laws claimed she died by suicide, her maternal family alleged that she was murdered. The case gained significance after the Madhya Pradesh High Court ordered a second post-mortem by AIIMS Delhi following objections raised by the victim’s family over the first autopsy given Giribala Singh’s influence.
The High Court later transferred the investigation to the CBI on May 25. The CBI is examining forensic evidence, digital records and witness statements. With the statutory deadline for filing the chargesheet nearing, the investigation has entered a crucial stage and the agency is expected to place its findings before the court soon.
IANS
