Former Judge, Lawyer Son Booked in Bhopal Dowry Death Case, SIT to Probe

A six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to investigate allegations of dowry harassment and possible foul play in the death of a 33-year-old woman in Bhopal, police said on Saturday.

The SIT, headed by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Rajnish Kashyap and including a woman officer, will probe the circumstances surrounding the death of Twisha Sharma , who was found hanging at her marital home in Katara Hills on Tuesday night.

According to police, Sharma met Bhopal-based lawyer Samarth Singh through a dating app in 2024, and the two were married in December 2025. Singh, along with his father, retired judge Giribala Singh, has been booked under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) related to dowry death and harassment.

Police officials said multiple teams have been deployed to trace Samarth Singh, who remains absconding. “Efforts are on to arrest him at the earliest,” ACP Kashyap said.

Investigators stated that Samarth and his mother had taken Sharma to a hospital after she was found unresponsive, where doctors declared her dead on arrival. The hospital alerted police around 11 pm.

Sharma’s family, based in Noida, has alleged murder and sustained harassment , claiming she was in regular contact with them until shortly before her death and had expressed a desire to return home.

The case has triggered controversy, with allegations of dowry harassment, domestic violence, and possible destruction of evidence after the incident. Police said all angles are being examined.

Meanwhile, a Bhopal court has granted anticipatory bail to the retired judge, while Samarth Singh’s pre-arrest bail plea is scheduled for hearing on May 18.