Twisha Sharma case: ‘Final’ notice to mom-in-law to record statement

Bhopal/Jabalpur: Police issued a “third and final notice” Thursday to retired district judge Giribala Singh to record her statement on the alleged suicide of her daughter-in-law Twisha Sharma, coinciding with the state govt seeking to know from the MP Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission if someone under investigation in such a case can continue to head its Bhopal district chapter.Investigators said that if Giribala refused to cooperate, they might move court for cancellation of her anticipatory bail. Her position as president of the Bhopal district consumer commission might also be reviewed, based on a communication to the registrar of the state commission from deputy secretary BK Chandel of the food, civil supplies and consumer affairs department.As investigators focused on Giribala, her absconding lawyer son Samarth Singh filed for anticipatory bail again, approaching the high court’s Jabalpur bench this time. Twisha’s father Navnidhi Sharma petitioned the same court to cancel Giribala’s bail.A sessions court had rejected Samarth’s first bail plea in the wake of 33-year-old Twisha’s Noida-based family filing a case, alleging foul play in her death. Both Samarth and Navnidhi’s petitions could be heard Friday by the high court’s vacation bench, sources said.Bhopal police commissioner Sanjay Kumar said the previous two notices to Giribala couldn’t be directly delivered to her as she was not in her Katara Hills residence, the same house where Twisha allegedly died by suicide on May 12.The third notice, too, could not be served in person as Giribala was again not at home, the officer said. The document was sent to her number over WhatsApp, Kumar said.Under BNSS, women, children below 15, senior citizens and people with disabilities are exempt from being summoned to a police station to record their statements. Police are required to visit them at home or arrange to record their statements at mutually convenient locations.Six police teams continue to look for Samarth, whose mysterious disappearance and a series of purported texts between Twisha and her family in the months leading to her death have fuelled suspicions about the couple’s relationship.The police commissioner said the reward for information leading to Samarth’s arrest had been raised from Rs 10,000 to Rs 30,000.Mrigendra Singh, advocate for Samarth, said Twisha never made a statement against her husband or his mother before her death and didn’t leave a suicide note either. Her family, he alleged, was “spreading canards” using her name.Navnidhi’s lawyer Ankur Pandey said the family moved the high court because the state govt delayed filing an application for cancellation of Giribala’s bail. He alleged that Samarth’s mother could potentially use her standing to influence the investigation and even tamper with evidence.