Source India Today
BHOPAL: A local court in Bhopal has dismissed an application filed by the family of 33-year-old former actor and model Twisha Sharma, which sought a second post-mortem examination to be conducted at AIIMS Delhi. The court, however, took serious note of the family’s concerns regarding the decomposition of her body and ordered authorities to immediately arrange for ultra-low temperature preservation.
Twisha Sharma, a resident of Noida who married Bhopal-based advocate Samarth Singh in December 2025, was found dead on May 12, 2026, at her marital home in the Katara Hills area. Her family has alleged severe physical abuse, mental harassment, and dowry demands by her in-laws, sparking a high-profile investigation in the state.
Court Denies Re-Autopsy but Focuses on Body Preservation
In the order passed by Judicial Magistrate First Class Anudita Gupta, the court rejected the family’s plea for a fresh forensic analysis at AIIMS Delhi.
Despite denying the second autopsy, the magistrate addressed critical concerns regarding the state of the body, which is currently stored at AIIMS Bhopal at -4°C. Medical authorities informed the police that a temperature of -80°C is required to halt decomposition effectively. Noting that no such facility is currently operational in Bhopal, the court directed the Station House Officer (SHO) of the Katara Hills police station to immediately scan medical institutions across Madhya Pradesh for ultra-low temperature units and file a written report.
Twisha’s family has refused to perform her last rites until a thoroughly independent forensic evaluation is secured, leaving her body in the morgue for over a week.
Autopsy Findings and Ongoing Friction
The first post-mortem report from AIIMS Bhopal concluded that the primary cause of death was “antemortem hanging by ligature,” indicating that Twisha was alive at the time of the hanging. However, the report also detailed complications that have fueled her family’s suspicions of foul play:
Unexplained Injuries: The autopsy recorded multiple simple blunt-force injuries, including a 2 cm bruise beneath the scalp, as well as abrasions on her neck, arms, and fingers.
Procedural Lapses: The forensic report noted that the investigating officer initially failed to produce the material used in the alleged hanging during the autopsy, preventing doctors from immediately establishing a scientific correlation. A resistance exercise band was later recovered from the terrace.
Recent Medical History: The report confirmed that Twisha had undergone a Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) just a week before her death.
While Bhopal Police Commissioner Sanjay Kumar recently stated that medical and circumstantial evidence strongly point toward suicide rather than homicide, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) continues to investigate the case from the angle of abetment to suicide and dowry death.
Case Shifts to High Court Amid Absconding Husband
The legal battlefield has now escalated to the Madhya Pradesh High Court in Jabalpur.
The prime accused, Samarth Singh, has been absconding since May 12, and the Bhopal Police have announced a ₹10,000 reward for information leading to his arrest. After being denied relief by a lower court, Samarth approached the principal bench of the MP High Court seeking anticipatory bail, which is expected to be heard next week.
Meanwhile, Twisha’s father, Navnidhi Sharma, has approached the High Court to challenge the anticipatory bail granted on May 17 to Twisha’s mother-in-law, Giribala Singh—a retired sessions judge. The victim’s family has repeatedly claimed that the accused are leveraging their legal backgrounds and influential relatives to disrupt the state police’s investigation, demanding that the case be formally handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
