Special Court Rejects Bail Plea of Ex-Judge Giribala Singh

A special court in Bhopal on Saturday rejected the bail application of retired judge Giribala Singh, an accused in the alleged dowry death case of former model and actor Twisha Sharma. The court observed that the allegations against Singh were serious and did not warrant the grant of bail at this stage of the investigation. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is currently probing the case, which has drawn significant public attention.

Twisha Sharma was allegedly found hanging at her matrimonial home in Bhopal on May 12. Following the incident, Giribala Singh, who is Twisha's mother-in-law, and her son Samarth Singh were arrested on charges including dowry-related harassment, mental cruelty and domestic violence. The investigation was later handed over to the CBI, which is continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding Sharma's death.

The bail application was initially listed before Special Judge Neelam Shukla, who recused herself from hearing the matter. The case was subsequently transferred to the court of Special Judge Ram Pratap Mishra, where arguments from both the prosecution and the defence were heard. After reserving the order on Friday, the court delivered its decision on Saturday, rejecting the plea.

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During the hearing, the defence sought bail on humanitarian grounds, arguing that Giribala Singh is an elderly woman with health issues who was not receiving adequate medical care in jail. The defence also submitted that her nearly 100-year-old mother depended on her for care. It further contended that Singh had cooperated with investigators, suffered a burglary at her residence while in custody, and that allegations of dowry demands were implausible given her regular salary and war widow's pension.

Opposing the plea, the CBI argued that being a woman alone could not justify the grant of bail, particularly when the victim was also a woman. The agency informed the court that the Madhya Pradesh High Court had earlier set aside the anticipatory bail granted to Singh by a subordinate court. It also alleged that Singh had refused to provide her voice sample during the investigation and had attempted to influence the probe by contacting individuals connected to the case, including a CCTV technician and a salon operator.

The CBI further expressed concern that releasing the accused on bail could result in witness intimidation, tampering with evidence or interference with the ongoing investigation. After considering submissions from both sides, the special court held that the nature of the allegations was serious and rejected Giribala Singh's bail application. The investigation into Twisha Sharma's death continues under the supervision of the CBI.

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