'2 Days, 2 Hours, 20 Minutes': CCTV Operators Confirm Major Timeline Lag in Twisha Sharma's Death Case

New Delhi: In an exclusion conversation with Republic, CCTV operators associated with accused mother-in-law Giribala Singh’s residence revealed that the surveillance footage was running nearly “2 days, 2 hours and 20 minutes” behind real time. 

They also confirmed that they received an urgent call from Giribala Singh shortly after Twisha’s death asking them to retrieve the footage as police officials had arrived at the house.

Following the call, one of the workers visited the residence to access the surveillance system.

The claims have now intensified concerns over the timeline of events and the handling of digital evidence in the suspicious dowry death case.

CCTV Timeline ‘Not Matching Real Time’

During the visit, the worker discovered that the DVR timing was significantly behind actual time.

According to the operator, the CCTV footage was lagging by approximately “2 days, 2 hours and 20 minutes,” raising serious questions about the accuracy of the footage timeline being examined in the case.

The operators, however, reportedly suggested that the lag may have been technical in nature and claimed there were no visible signs of tampering with the system.

‘Why Were CCTV Teams Contacted?’: Family Cites Republic Expose On Giri Bala's May 12 Call Logs

The development comes after Twisha Sharma’s family released a detailed press note questioning alleged communications between Giribala Singh and individuals linked to CCTV systems and technical services.

The family stated that they only became aware of these alleged calls through court documents and media reports.

According to documents attached with the press note, Giribala Singh allegedly spoke with Rohit Vishwakarma at around 4:03 PM on May 13, while multiple calls were also reportedly exchanged with another individual linked to CCTV-related work, Vinod Wani.

Twisha’s family has questioned why persons associated with electronic evidence systems were allegedly contacted immediately after the incident.

The family has also highlighted repeated calls between Giribala Singh and Samarth Singh, described in the note as an absconding accused. The attached records show calls allegedly taking place late on May 12 and multiple times on May 13.

Furthermore, the digital evidence trail has emerged as one of the most explosive angles in the case, as Twisha Sharma's family has accused Giri Bala Singh of a “judicial cover-up”, claiming that she made frantic phone calls to several judges and influential figures shortly after Twisha’s death.

According to the family, she made over 40 phone calls to judges, ministry-linked individuals and influential figures shortly after Twisha’s death in Bhopal. Twisha’s father released a list of purported mobile numbers contacted by Giri Bala.

Calls logs accessed by Republic TV revealed that she allegedly dialled a district judge nine times in one day, and also contacted CCTV operators and an IPS officer in the Lokayukta. She also called her son, Samarth Singh, three times after he fled.

Advocate Ankur Pandey said, “Giri Bala called so many influential people after Twisha’s death, but did not make a single call to the victim's family.”

Twisha's family has alleged that her connections with influential people may have impacted the course of the investigation.

Evading Interrogation and Notices

According to senior police officials, three separate notices have now been issued to Giri Bala Singh, directing her to join the investigation and record her statement. However, despite multiple attempts by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), her statement remains unrecorded.

Bhopal Commissioner of Police Sanjay Kumar confirmed the development, stating that the previous two notices could not be delivered in person because Singh was missing from her Katara Hills residence- the same house where her 33-year-old daughter-in-law, model-turned-actor Twisha Sharma, was found hanging on May 12.

Consequently, the third and final notice had to be served via post and WhatsApp.

"The third and last notice has been issued to her for the recording of her statement. If she does not cooperate, we will move the sessions court seeking the cancellation of her bail," Commissioner Sanjay Kumar stated.

What's The Case

A Noida resident and former model-tuned-actor Twisha Sharma was found dead under unnatural circumstances at her matrimonial home in Bhopal’s upscale Katara Hills locality on May 12. 

Following her demise, her family filed a criminal case alleging severe dowry harassment, mental cruelty, and foul play. The police subsequently registered an FIR under Sections 80 (dowry death) and 85 (cruelty by husband or relatives) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against Twisha's husband, Samarth Singh, and her mother-in-law, Giribala Singh.  

Husband at large

While Giri Bala Singh secured anticipatory bail, her lawyer son, Samarth Singh, has been absconding since the registration of the FIR. The police have issued a Lookout Circular against him and increased the cash reward for information leading to his arrest to ₹30,000.  Meanwhile, the backlash against non-cooperation has expanded beyond the local police.

Samarth's counsel, Advocate Mrigendra Singh, has rejected the allegations and maintained that the defence is being unfairly targeted.

He further argued that Twisha was the only daughter-in-law in the family and that her relations with her husband and mother-in-law were cordial.

ALSO READ: Justice For Twisha: Family Alleges Big ‘Judicial Cover-Up’, Claims Mother-In-Law Giri Bala Called 40+ Influential People After Her Death