The family of Twisha Sharma, who died in a suspected dowry death, accuses investigative agencies of mishandling the probe. They allege attempts to weaken the case and influence AIIMS Bhopal, demanding a second autopsy at AIIMS Delhi.
Family Alleges Probe Mishandling, Demands Second Autopsy
Advocate Ankur Pandey, representing the victim’s family, alleged that authorities were trying to “contaminate” both the medical examination process as well as the investigation and demanded that a second autopsy examination be conducted at AIIMS Delhi. “The incident occurred on May 12 and since then the investigative agencies have mishandled this case. They try to influence things at AIIMS Bhopal. They are trying every possible way to contaminate the procedure of AIIMS and the investigation only with the intention to weaken the case and so that they would benefit from it later,” Pandey told ANI.
He stressed that following the incident on May 12, a post mortem was conducted on May 13 but ligature was not received; AIIMS itself making this claim. “Why didn’t AIIMS ask for the ligature. The victim’s family is being pressured to cremate the body, if it would have been done, then from what the ligature be matched which was submitted days after the incident. The situation of the body is worsening every single day. AIIMS has also said that they do not have such facilities to preserve the body for such a long time… However, solely due to the influence wielded (by the accused), circumstances of this nature have arisen. That is precisely why we have requested that the examination (re post-mortem) be conducted at AIIMS, Delhi. We believe that all the requisite facilities are available there to ensure the body is properly preserved,” he said.
The lawyer further said, “Since only medical experts can provide this insight, our sole objective is to uncover the truth: regarding any marks or injuries found on the body–whether they were inflicted prior to death, how they were caused, and what their exact nature is–we require a detailed description of all these aspects from AIIMS, Delhi.”
Concerns Over Height Discrepancy
Pandey also raised concerns over an alleged discrepancy in Twisha Sharma’s recorded height. He claimed that there was a significant difference of height in her modelling profile and personal statements, then in records at AIIMS Bhopal. “Regarding her height, she had worked in modeling, and she herself stated and her profile details confirm that her height is approx 172 to 173 centimeters. However, AIIMS appears to be recording it as 161 centimeters. This discrepancy came to light when comparisons were made based on these records. Why is such a basic observation being recorded incorrectly in this case? Because, somewhere along the line, the investigation is being steered in a different direction…,” Lawyer added.
Father Loses Hope in State Machinery, Urges Supreme Court Intervention
On the other hand, the victim’s father, Navnidhi Sharma said that they lost hope of justice in Madhya Pradesh and urged the Supreme Court to take immediate cognisance of this matter and to make the necessary arrangements for an independent inquiry. “It clearly demonstrates the exercise of undue influence. From day one, they kept telling us to take custody of the body. How, then, did they release the Post-Mortem (PM) report without the ligature findings? Had we cremated the body back then, none of these facts would have ever come to light. Today, the body’s recorded height has been deliberately understated. Just imagine how many other facts have been concealed–facts that would have only surfaced during a thorough investigation… The proof of this lies before you today: observe how they have manipulated the judicial process and tampered with evidence. They deliberately delayed the release of the body so that it would decompose, rendering it useless for further examination and preventing us from extracting any significant forensic findings. Today, they have even written official letters stating that the body is decomposing,” Sharma said.
He also requested the government to take cognizance into their matter and alleged that the state machinery was functioning to protect the accused individual, which is shameful. “I request that the government look into this matter immediately. Otherwise, your government’s flagship schemes–such as the ‘Nari Bandhan’ and ‘Ladli Yojana’–will backfire and be used against you. The fact that the entire state machinery is working to shield an accused individual is a matter of deep shame for this nation… This entire matter is rife with doubts; the entire case is fabricated. The very foundation of this case is flawed; right from day one… Seeing all these findings, we have almost lost our hope of justice in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. We urge the Supreme Court to take immediate cognisance of this matter and to make the necessary arrangements for an independent inquiry,” Sharma added.
Meanwhile, the victim’s cousin, Ashish Sharma, said the family had been consistently demanding a second post-mortem examination but feared that their requests would not be accepted. “We have been repeatedly demanding a second post-mortem, but no one agreed to it. Despite efforts, officials have not agreed to conduct another post-mortem except for an initial approval by the Police Commissioner, which was later retracted. We approached the court, which scheduled a hearing for Wednesday. Meanwhile, the police have stated they lack the facilities to preserve the body… We will not get justice… This is a societal injustice being done to us. Nobody is listening to us. At least someone should show some mercy. Is PM-2 such a major thing, which is being continuously denied? It seems that permission will not be granted for the second autopsy,” Sharma said.
Background of the Case
Twisha Sharma (33), a resident of Noida, married Bhopal resident Samarth Singh in December 2025. She died on May 12 and her family has alleged mental torture and dowry harassment by her in-laws. Police registered a case against her husband and mother-in-law, Giribala Singh, who is a retired judge, and formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the matter. (ANI)
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