Husband and mother-in-law charged over Indian bride's death

What the report says

India’s federal police have filed charges in the death of Twisha Sharma, a 33-year-old model and actor who was found dead in her matrimonial home in Bhopal in May, just five months after her wedding. According to BBC World News, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has accused her husband, Samarth Singh, and her mother-in-law, Giribala Singh, of abetment to suicide and cruelty. Both have denied the allegations.

The case drew intense public attention in India, in part because Giribala Singh is a retired judge and Samarth Singh is a lawyer. The BBC reported that Twisha’s parents and siblings alleged dowry-related harassment and said she was murdered, while the family’s lawyers argued the chargesheet indicates investigators are treating the death as an alleged suicide. The CBI has also sought permission for further investigation, suggesting more people could be examined if new evidence emerges.

BBC World News reported that Twisha met Samarth on a dating app in early 2025 and later married him. The chargesheet says investigators found repeated mental cruelty after the marriage, while the family says tensions escalated when Twisha became pregnant and later underwent an abortion. Giribala Singh has rejected those claims and said Twisha had mental health problems. The case has fed wider debate in India about domestic abuse, dowry pressure and the conduct of influential families in the justice system.