CBI Charges Husband And Mother-In-Law In Death Of Actress Twisha Sharma After 600‑Page Chargesheet

Warning: This article contains details some readers may find distressing.

India's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed formal charges against 33-year-old model and actor Twisha Sharma's husband and mother-in-law after she was found dead in her Bhopal home on 12 May, five months after the couple married.

The CBI's 600-page chargesheet names lawyer Samarth Singh, Twisha's husband, and retired judge Giribala Singh, accusing both of 'abetment to suicide' and 'cruelty'. The document alleges repeated mental cruelty by the husband and says the mother-in-law at times instigated that behaviour. The two have denied the allegations.

Twisha and Samarth had been married only for five months [Photo credit Twisha's family]

According to the chargesheet and media reports, Twisha met Samarth through a dating app in February 2025 and the couple married in December. Twisha's parents and siblings have alleged dowry-related torture and claimed she was murdered. The in-laws dispute those claims, saying Twisha had mental health problems and that her death was a suicide.

The couple's conflict is said to have escalated after Twisha became pregnant in April. Her parental family alleges the in-laws questioned her character, accused her of carrying another man's child and forced her to undergo an abortion in the first week of May; the in-laws deny these allegations and say Twisha sought the abortion herself.

Police records show Samarth initially could not be located; he later surrendered to authorities. Giribala Singh was arrested days after Twisha's death, and both remain in custody pending further proceedings. In its chargesheet the CBI said: 'Due to continuous mental cruelty at the hands of both the accused [Twisha's husband and mother-in-law], she was left with no option but to end her life.'

Retired judge Giribala Singh (right) has been criticised for discussing Twisha's health issues in public [ANI]

Twisha's family lawyer, Ankur Pandey, told BBC Hindi that the presence of sections on abetment to suicide indicates investigators are treating the death as an alleged suicide. He also said the CBI has asked the court for permission to continue the probe and that a supplementary chargesheet could be filed if new evidence implicates others.

Giribala Singh's lawyer, Inosh George Carlo, told the BBC the investigation has not found proof of earlier accusations of dowry harassment or murder. 'We have been saying this from the beginning but the media never listened to us,' he said.

In the days following Twisha's death, Giribala faced public backlash after she discussed her daughter-in-law's mental health at a press conference and in televised interviews, describing Twisha as 'liberal' and referencing behaviour some interpreted as promiscuity. Those comments drew condemnation from Twisha's family, who said they were an attempt to tarnish her reputation.

Twisha was a public figure: she won the Miss Pune title in 2012, worked as a model and actor in advertising and regional film, and later held marketing roles with private companies. The case has attracted intense national attention in India because it involves well-known public figures and raises broader concerns about domestic abuse, dowry-related harassment and accountability within powerful institutions.

What Happens Next: The case is now before the court. The CBI has filed the chargesheet and sought permission to continue its investigation; prosecutors have said they may add names if new evidence emerges. Both accused continue to deny wrongdoing and have pleaded not guilty.