The Madhya Pradesh government has initiated an inquiry against retired judge Giribala Singh, chairperson of a district consumer commission, after criminal charges were filed in connection with the death of actor and model Twisha Sharma. (File Photo)
The Madhya Pradesh government has initiated an inquiry against retired Bhopal judge Giribala Singh after criminal charges were registered against her in connection with the death of her daughter-in-law, model and actor Twisha Sharma.
The development marks the first formal administrative action initiated by the state government against Giribala Singh since the registration of the FIR. Singh, a retired district judge currently serving as chairperson of the district consumer commission in Bhopal, was named in the case filed after the death of 33-year-old Twisha Sharma at her matrimonial home earlier this month.
In an official communication dated May 20, the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Department informed the Registrar of the Madhya Pradesh State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission that a criminal case had been registered against Giribala Singh at Katara Hills Police Station under provisions relating to dowry death and cruelty.
Referring to the FIR registered by the Bhopal police commissioner’s office, the government directed that an inquiry be conducted against Singh under Rule 9(2) of the Consumer Protection (Qualification for Appointment, Method of Recruitment, Procedure of Appointment, Term of Office, Resignation and Removal of President and Members of State Commission and District Commission) Rules, 2020.
The letter stated: “Therefore, kindly conduct an inquiry regarding the case registered against Mrs Giribala Singh, Chairperson, District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Bhopal-2, and make the inquiry report available at the earliest.”
The communication was issued by the office of the deputy secretary in the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Department after the matter was referred by the state consumer commission registrar.
The case has triggered intense scrutiny in Madhya Pradesh because of the stature of the accused family and allegations by Twisha’s relatives that the investigation and postmortem process were influenced. The family has sought a second postmortem at AIIMS Delhi and demanded a CBI investigation.
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Earlier this week, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said the state government would write to the CBI seeking an investigation into the matter. Meanwhile, Bhopal Police Commissioner Sanjay Kumar has maintained that the investigation so far “points towards suicide and not murder.”
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