Bhopal: A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Madhya Pradesh’s Bhopal district on Tuesday extended the judicial custody of retired district judge Giribala Singh and her son Samarth Singh, the two accused in the alleged dowry death case of Twisha Sharma, till August 11.
The court hearing was conducted before a duty magistrate as the regular magistrate was on leave.
Both the accused appeared before the court through video conferencing.
Advocate Shubhang Dixit, representing Twisha Sharma’s family, told IANS that the court accepted the CBI’s plea for extension of judicial custody after the agency told it that the investigation was still in progress.
During the court hearing, the accused contested the CBI’s allegation that they had not cooperated in providing their voice samples.
The defence also alleged that the investigating agency’s officials behaved inappropriately during the voice sample collection process and raised objections before the court.
According to Dixit, the court orally observed that the issue relating to the voice samples had already been argued during the hearing of the accused’s bail applications.
Since the bail plea had already been decided, the issue was not relevant to the present remand proceedings.
However, the observation did not form part of the court’s written order.
The defence also opposed the extension of judicial custody, saying that the CBI’s application did not cite any fresh grounds for seeking further remand.
It also sought details from the agency regarding the number of witnesses examined during the investigation.
Opposing the demand, the CBI submitted that the investigation was continuing and disclosing details of witnesses examined or statements recorded at this stage could adversely affect the probe.
The agency, therefore, declined to share such information before the court.
After hearing both sides, the court allowed the CBI’s application and extended the judicial custody of the two accused till August 11, Dixit said.
Twisha Sharma was found dead at her in-laws’ residence in Katara Hills area of Bhopal on the night of May 12.
While Twisha’s in-laws claimed she died by suicide, her parental family alleged that she was murdered over dowry demands.
The case later came under judicial scrutiny after questions were raised over the initial post-mortem examination.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court directed that a fresh post-mortem be conducted by a team of AIIMS New Delhi at Bhopal centre.
(IANS)
