The Madhya Pradesh High Court has cancelled the anticipatory bail granted to retired district judge Giribala Singh in the alleged dowry death case related to her daughter-in-law, 33-year-old model and actress Twisha Sharma.
Justice Devnarayan Mishra passed the order after hearing petitions filed by the State government and Twisha Sharma’s father challenging the earlier bail granted by a Bhopal sessions court.
Background of the Case
Twisha Sharma was found hanging at her matrimonial home in Bhopal on May 12, barely six months after her marriage to advocate Samarth Singh. Her parents alleged that she was subjected to cruelty, harassment over dowry demands, and pressure regarding her pregnancy.
An FIR was registered under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Dowry Prohibition Act against her husband and mother-in-law Giribala Singh.
While Samarth Singh’s anticipatory bail plea had earlier been rejected, Giribala Singh was granted protection from arrest by the trial court on May 15. The sessions court had observed that the allegations appearing in the FIR and WhatsApp chats were mainly directed against the husband.
Court’s Observations
The High Court, however, found that the trial court failed to properly examine the material collected during the investigation.
The bench observed, “There are clear allegations against the respondent and her son.” The Court further noted that WhatsApp chats and witness statements did not limit the accusations only to the husband.
Justice Mishra also referred to the postmortem findings. According to the Court, besides death by hanging, six additional injuries were found on Twisha Sharma’s body, including injuries on the arm and head.
The Court recorded that the medical query report clarified these injuries were not caused while removing the body or shifting it to hospital.
During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that the anticipatory bail had been granted “in a very hasty manner” without considering crucial evidence. Senior Advocate Siddharth Luthra, appearing for Twisha Sharma’s father, also raised concerns regarding the conduct of the accused after securing bail.
Decision
Allowing the petitions, the High Court quashed the anticipatory bail order granted to Giribala Singh.
“In light of the factual aspects of the case and the allegations levelled against the respondent, the anticipatory bail order dated 15.05.2026 is hereby quashed,” the Court ordered.
Case Details
Case Title: State v Giribala Singh & Navnidhi Sharma v State of MP
Case Number: MCRC 24475 of 2026 and MCRC 24405 of 2026
Judge: Justice Devnarayan Mishra
Decision Date: May 27, 2026
