The Supreme Court on Monday expressed concern over the public narrative surrounding the death case of Twisha Sharma and said it was “pained” by suggestions that a member of the judiciary was protecting the accused.
Twisha Sharma, a 32-year-old woman from Noida, was found hanging at her matrimonial home in Bhopal’s Katara Hills. Her family has accused her in-laws of dowry harassment and mental torture. However, her in-laws have denied the allegations and claimed that she was addicted to drugs.
Supreme Court Bench Hears the Matter
The case was heard by a Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant along with justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi.
During the hearing, the court urged the media to show restraint while reporting on the case. The bench observed that repeated interviews and emotional statements from family members should not become mere “sound bytes”.
“We are slightly in pain because of some of the actions. We will request our media friends to not go for the statements of the victim's family or the other family. Let the things move as per law and procedure," the court said.
Top Court Steps In After Fair Trial Concerns
The Supreme Court intervened after media reports claimed that Twisha Sharma’s family was not receiving a fair investigation.
The accused in the case, Samarth Singh, is a lawyer, while his mother Giribala Singh is a retired district judge. Concerns were raised over possible institutional influence in the investigation process.
Senior advocate Sidharth Luthra, appearing for Sharma’s family, highlighted issues including alleged “institutional bias” and delay in the registration of the original FIR.
However, the Supreme Court assured the family that they would receive an “impartial investigation.”
Court Orders CBI Probe
The Supreme Court also directed that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) take over the case. “The only issue as of now survives for consideration is consent to the recommendation for CBI probe,” the bench said in its order.
The order marked a major development in the ongoing investigation into Twisha Sharma’s death.
SG Tushar Mehta’s Remarks in Court
Appearing for the Madhya Pradesh government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that it was Twisha’s mother-in-law who first gave interviews to television channels and accused her daughter-in-law of drug addiction.
According to Mehta, those interviews triggered massive media attention and led to widespread public debate around the case. During the hearing, he also made a strong remark, saying, “it is better to have a divorced daughter, than to face such an unfortunate incident.”
Supreme Court Requests Media Restraint
The apex court further advised both families and media organisations to avoid influencing the investigation. The bench said witnesses should first record their statements before investigative authorities instead of speaking publicly. “This shall avoid unnecessary premature impression of outcomes on certain issues which have to be investigated,” the order stated.
The court stressed that the investigation should proceed strictly according to law and procedure without external pressure or sensationalism.