High Court rejects bail plea of former judge Giribala Singh in Tvisha Sharma death case

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has rejected the bail application of Giribala Singh, a former District and Sessions Judge of Bhopal and an accused in the case involving the death of model Tvisha Sharma under suspicious circumstances. The decision was taken by a single-judge bench of Justice Ajay Kumar Nirankari. The court clarified in its order that it is essential to conduct a complete investigation into the role of the accused and aspects related to alleged mental harassment. The court stated that granting bail at this stage is not appropriate as the available evidence and investigation are still in process.

According to an NDTV report, Justice Nirankari stated in a 23-page order that bail is not appropriate considering the overall facts of the case, circumstances, gravity of the allegations, material collected during the investigation, circumstances immediately preceding the death, CCTV footage, and post-mortem reports. Furthermore, further investigation is still underway under Section 193(9) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and critical forensic and digital extraction reports are awaited.

The entire incident began on May 12, 2026, when Tvisha Sharma, a model and daughter-in-law of former District Judge Giribala Singh, committed suicide by hanging herself at their home. Following this incident, the police registered a case against mother-in-law Giribala Singh and husband Samarth Singh under the Dowry Death and Dowry Prohibition Act. Initially, the Bhopal District Court granted bail to Giribala Singh on May 14, but this was challenged in the High Court. The High Court cancelled her anticipatory bail, after which the investigation of the case was handed over to the CBI. The CBI arrested Giribala Singh and her son. After the District Court rejected their bail application, they approached the High Court again.

According to a Hindustan Times report, the court noted that data extraction from the primary mobile phone of the deceased Tvisha Sharma is still pending. This data may provide further material regarding the allegations against the accused and help identify other witnesses linked to the incident. Additionally, data from the DVR seized from the applicant's residence has been sent to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) in New Delhi for forensic examination to verify the continuity and authenticity of the CCTV footage. If any tampering is found in the footage, further investigation will be required.

According to an Aaj Tak report, 64-year-old Giribala Singh faces serious allegations of abetment of suicide and dowry harassment. Sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Dowry Prohibition Act have been invoked in the CBI's FIR. The prosecution claims that Tvisha was subjected to continuous mental harassment, was being monitored, and was troubled regarding her professional background. It is also alleged that stress increased after a medical abortion in April 2026. Furthermore, Samarth Singh's addiction to narcotics and disputes regarding becoming a father have been mentioned. It is alleged that after domestic disputes, Samarth assaulted Tvisha and pressured her to transfer her equity investments into foreign financial plans.

Tvisha Sharma had married lawyer Samarth Singh on December 9, 2025, after meeting through an online dating app. On the night of May 12, 2026, she was found hanging at her in-laws' house, after which she was taken to AIIMS Bhopal, where doctors declared her dead. Two post-mortem reports, including one from a medical board at AIIMS New Delhi, stated the cause of death as 'ante-mortem hanging' and resulting asphyxia.

The court paid special attention to WhatsApp chats and CCTV footage. According to the court, the WhatsApp conversations clearly show Tvisha's severe mental stress and state of suffocation. The sequence of events on the night of the incident and the subsequent behavior of the accused are also significant. The case diary contains material suggesting that after the incident, the applicant contacted some influential persons in high positions, which requires investigation.

Defense counsel Surendra Singh argued that Giribala Singh had no criminal intent (mens rea) and is innocent. He argued that electronic communications primarily point towards complaints against her son. Referring to medical records, the lawyers stated that Tvisha was suffering from depression, which was linked to substance abuse. Furthermore, the defense stated that ₹7.5 lakh had been transferred into Tvisha's account by the family. According to an Amar Ujala report, the applicant cited her age and ailments, stating she has been in judicial custody for the last five months and the CBI has not filed a chargesheet under the Dowry Act due to lack of evidence against her.

On the other hand, the CBI and the state government opposed the bail. They argued that the applicant did not cooperate in the investigation and failed to appear despite notices from the local police. Additionally, allegations were made regarding attempts to destroy evidence. The prosecution stated that if Giribala Singh is granted bail, she could influence witnesses and evidence.

After hearing arguments from both sides, Justice Ajay Kumar Nirankari reserved the judgment on October 26 and issued the order on Wednesday. The court observed that since the causes of death and critical forensic reports are still pending, it is necessary to carefully investigate the allegations against the accused during the trial. Consequently, the court rejected Giribala Singh's bail application.

Giribala Singh served as the former District and Sessions Judge of Bhopal and is currently retired.