Twisha Sharma Death Case: CBI Files 636-Page Chargesheet Against Judge Giribala, Son Samarth

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a 636-page chargesheet in the Twisha Sharma death case, levelling serious allegations of dowry death, cruelty and abetment of suicide against the accused, including Judge Giribala and her son Samarth.

According to the chargesheet details accessed by Republic, the accused have been booked under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 80(2), relating to dowry death; Section 85, relating to cruelty by a husband or his relatives; Section 108, relating to abetment of suicide; and Section 3(5), concerning acts done with common intention. Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act have also been invoked.

Section 80(2) of the BNS provides for a minimum sentence of seven years in cases of dowry death, which may extend to imprisonment for life. Section 85 provides for imprisonment of up to three years and a fine for cruelty by a husband or his relatives, while Section 108 carries a punishment of up to 10 years and a fine for abetment of suicide.

The chargesheet comes after the circumstances surrounding Twisha Sharma's death had raised questions over the initial post-mortem findings. According to sources, a second post-mortem conducted by a team from Delhi AIIMS at AIIMS Bhopal indicated that Twisha died by hanging. The examination was carried out following an order of the Jabalpur High Court after the family raised suspicions regarding the initial post-mortem report.

Forensic expert Dinesh Rao, who had initially flagged inconsistencies in the first autopsy, described it as “surprising” that the accused had been booked for abetment of suicide, noting that the charge is generally difficult to establish in court.

The case also saw controversy surrounding CCTV footage from the residence. The CCTV system reportedly showed a timestamp discrepancy of around two days, two hours and 20 minutes. A technician reportedly attributed the discrepancy to a software or maintenance-related issue. Questions were subsequently raised over possible CCTV tampering, including footage from a salon.

Another key aspect highlighted during the investigation was the alleged communication by Giribala in the days surrounding Twisha's death. The family alleged that Giribala made around 46 calls between May 12 and May 14 to people including judicial officers, senior officials, doctors, advocates and CCTV personnel. Republic had spoken to some of those contacted to ascertain why the calls were made.

The investigation also examined the alleged “ligature belt theory” and the circumstances surrounding Samarth's movements after the incident. Samarth was reportedly on the run for a period, with Republic tracking his movements during the coverage of the case.

The CBI chargesheet now formally places allegations of dowry-related harassment, cruelty and abetment of suicide before the court. The chargesheet, however, represents the investigating agency's allegations; the guilt of the accused will be determined by the court through the judicial process.

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