Bhopal: The death of Twisha Sharma, 33, at her matrimonial home in Bhopal has triggered major controversy, with her family accusing her husband and in-laws of prolonged mental and physical abuse, dowry harassment, and using influence to weaken the investigation.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Rajnish Kashyap of the Khara Hill area spoke exclusively to IANS on Monday and responded to the allegations.
IANS: The police are facing allegations that, despite the magnitude of this case, no arrests have yet been made.
ACP Rajnish Kashyap: The police are proceeding with their work step by step. A first information report regarding this incident was registered on May 14, and a continuous police investigation has been underway ever since.
IANS: Twisha’s family has levelled another allegation: that the police failed to recover, or at least failed to officially record the recovery of, the specific object Twisha used to hang herself, doing so promptly. The victim’s family alleges that this was done deliberately to weaken the case.
ACP Rajnish Kashyap: Regarding the matter of the noose used for the hanging, it was indeed seized from the crime scene on the very day of the incident.
However, the police personnel, the investigating officer, who visited the scene to conduct the inquiry, failed to submit it during the post-mortem examination.
We are currently investigating this lapse, and appropriate action will be taken based on the information that emerges from this inquiry.
Subsequently, the item was handed over to the Forensic Science Laboratory team, and the material has since been deposited at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal.
Once the forensic report is received, this specific issue will also be clarified.
IANS: The object used in the hanging could serve as crucial evidence in this case. However, if its forensic testing is conducted four to five days after the incident, could this introduce any doubts regarding its integrity, or is there a possibility that the evidence itself might have undergone changes during this interval?
ACP Rajnish Kashyap: A detailed inquiry has been conducted covering all aspects of the case; consequently, all such potential issues are addressed within the scope of this inquiry, and appropriate clarifications are provided at that very stage.
IANS: Another question has been raised regarding the fact that Twisha’s body was taken down from the noose and transported to the hospital without first summoning the police to the scene, where she was subsequently declared “brought dead”.
ACP Rajnish Kashyap: This constitutes a key point in our ongoing investigation, and we are actively looking into it.
Closed-circuit television cameras are installed at their residence, and we are currently retrieving footage from them.
We are also conducting an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding her transportation to the hospital.
Since the matter is currently under investigation, we have not yet reached any definitive conclusions.
However, I assure you that every aspect of this case will be thoroughly investigated, and action will be taken based on the findings.
IANS: Giribala Singh, a co-accused in this case, has claimed regarding Twisha that she was a drug addict and that her body would start trembling whenever she did not receive her dose.
ACP Rajnish Kashyap: To date, the police have not received any concrete information or evidence to substantiate this claim.
If this allegation surfaces, it will also be investigated.
Twisha Sharma was found dead at her matrimonial home in Bhopal’s Katara Hills area on the night of May 12.
A first information report has been registered against her husband, Samarth Singh, and mother-in-law Giribala Singh under provisions related to dowry death and dowry harassment.
(IANS)
