Former Judge Giribala Singh Arrested In Twisha Sharma Case As Republic’s Relentless Campaign Sees Huge Impact

Bhopal: In a major Republic Media Network impact, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested the mother-in-law of Twisha Sharma from the retired district judge's home in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal.

The central agency's swift coordination follows a critical decision by the Madhya Pradesh High Court, which quashed the anticipatory bail previously granted to her, clearing the deck for her imminent arrest and custodial interrogation. 

Giribala Singh's bail request was revoked on Wednesday, and a CBI team arrived at her home earlier today, Thursday.

In the case of actor-model Twisha Sharma's death, the CBI told the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Wednesday that Giribala Singh's custodial interrogation was crucial to the investigation and opposed anticipatory bail for her.

The agency claimed at the hearing that Singh had "left no stone unturned" to discredit the 33-year-old.

Twisha's in-laws were also charged by the CBI with dowry harassment, trying to destroy evidence, and coercing her into ending a pregnancy.

Twisha Sharma's wrist and elbow were found to have injuries, and the agency told the court that her in-laws had not explained the marks.

A medical query report, according to the CBI, excluded the probability that the injuries occurred during the body's removal from the ligature.

The submissions are significant since Twisha's post-mortem examination report contained damage marks that were previously questioned.

The CBI further informed the high court, citing evidence gathered during the probe, that Giribala Singh and Twisha's husband, Samarth Singh, may have questioned her character after learning of her pregnancy based on WhatsApp conversations the agency acquired.

Twisha was allegedly forced to get an abortion when it was claimed that the unborn child belonged to someone else, according to the agency. The agency is still looking into the circumstances surrounding Twisha Sharma's death.

In the alleged dowry death case of Twisha Sharma, the Madhya Pradesh High Court's single-judge Jabalpur bench heard petitions on Wednesday contesting the anticipatory bail granted to retired judge Giribala Singh. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta contended that the relief was granted in "a hurried manner" despite the gravity of the allegations.

Public Thanks Republic For Relentless Campaign

The CBI’s decisive action and the High Court's intervention have triggered an outpouring of public support across the country. Viewers have widely credited Republic TV’s fearless, round-the-clock investigative journalism as a crucial catalyst in preventing a high-profile cover-up and ensuring that an influential former judicial officer was held accountable under the law. 

Messages and notes of appreciation have flooded in from citizens across various states, praising Arnab Goswami and the network's unflinching tenacity over the last fortnight:

"Republic TV is an outstanding media outlet, unwavering in its commitment to revealing facts, thereby upholding democratic rights in their entirety. But for the Republic's diligent coverage, Giribala's arrest might not have occurred. Kudos to Arnab and his entire team for their exceptionally thorough work." — Rajagopalan D., Bangalore

"Republic and your entire dedicated team have resoundingly established that you are an honest, responsible, and nationalistic media house for fearlessly trying to unfold the Giribala-Twisha tangle. You have shown great, unflinching tenacity in the last 14 days of covering the most followed matter in the nation today." — Rakesh Sharma, Noida

Sanjeev from Delhi shared a similar sentiment, noting: "The genuine efforts of Arnab and his team have eventually made it possible. This is indeed a proud moment for all who stand for justice."

Yogesh Desai from Surat expressed his gratitude for the relentless legal and journalistic scrutiny: "Arnab, we are all grateful to you for the courageous effort to get the bail cancelled. You are the only journalist in India who can lead a campaign like this. God bless you."

Rahul Gupta from Jaipur emphasised the deep public empathy surrounding the tragedy: "Arnab, we are with Twisha and her family through you. Sadly, a victim's family has to suffer so much. We empathise with them deeply and view this case with the same gravity as if it happened within our own families."

Nihita from Madhya Pradesh wrote in to highlight a critical societal angle: "Great job by Republic on the cancellation of bail granted to Giribala. But when shall we start questioning the structural reality, too? Twisha was confiding in her mother; she was subjected to such torture that it drove her to this end. It is high time that parents start actively protecting and standing by their daughters instead of treating them as paraye ghar ki (belonging to another household)."

Meanwhile, analytical viewers are already pushing for the next steps in accountability. Citizens are demanding that investigators scrutinise the initial local police response, asking whether the police station where the incident occurred made the proper General Diary (GD) entries, what was documented in those initial hours, and exactly what time the Prosecution Inspector was formally notified.