Twisha Sharma death: Bhopal court dismisses plea seeking second postmortem, CM says will write to CBI for probe

Meanwhile, in an order passed by Judicial Magistrate First Class Anudita Gupta, the court dismissed Twisha’s family’s application seeking “directions for conducting a second postmortem examination at AIIMS Delhi and for forensic analysis of the deceased”.

However, the court took note of concerns raised regarding the preservation of Twisha’s body. Referring to a police report placed before it, the magistrate recorded that the body is currently being kept in the mortuary at AIIMS Bhopal at minus 4 degrees Celsius. The authorities at the institute had, however, informed police that preservation at minus 80 degrees Celsius was required to prevent decomposition of the body.

The court noted that based on information gathered, “there is no facility available anywhere in Bhopal for low-temperature preservation”.

In view of this, the magistrate directed the Station House Officer of Katara Hills police station to “immediately obtain written information from medical institutions” on whether low temperature preservation facilities are available in other higher medical institutions in Madhya Pradesh and to submit a written report to the court “without any delay”.

The order comes amid an escalating dispute over the circumstances surrounding Twisha’s death and the findings of the initial postmortem examination. Her family has alleged that the autopsy conducted at AIIMS Bhopal was compromised under the influence of the family of the accused. While Twisha’s husband Samarth Singh, who is absconding, is a lawyer, her mother-in-law, Giribala Singh, is a retired additional district judge.

The family’s plea had questioned the postmortem report describing the cause of death as “asphyxia due to antemortem hanging by ligature” while also noting “multiple antemortem injuries (simple in nature possible by blunt force over other parts of body)”. The application also alleged that the “ligature material” – the belt allegedly used in the hanging – was never provided to the doctors conducting the autopsy at AIIMS Bhopal.

Meanwhile, during the proceedings, the office of the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Misrod Division, informed the court that there was a “strong possibility” that Samarth might flee the country and sought issuance of a letter to the Regional Passport Officer for cancellation or suspension of his passport as well as issuance of an alert.

The court, however, observed that before deciding on such a request, “it appears appropriate to hear the accused”. It subsequently directed that notice be issued to Samarth Singh, asking him to show cause why such action should not be taken against him.

Bhopal Police Commissioner Sanjay Kumar, meanwhile, said the investigation so far “points towards suicide and not murder”. On Twisha’s family alleging lapses in the police investigation, including delays in the arrest of Samarth, Kumar said the investigation was still underway. “It takes time to investigate sometimes. We have made our parties and will soon arrest him,” he added.

Twisha was found dead at her matrimonial home in Bhopal less than six months after her marriage. A case under provisions relating to dowry death and cruelty has been registered.