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A Second Autopsy, a Supreme Court Notice, and a Family Waiting for Answers
A four-member medical board from AIIMS Delhi began the second post-mortem of 33-year-old Twisha Sharma at AIIMS Bhopal on Sunday, following directions from the Madhya Pradesh High Court, according to reporting by ANI, India TV, and The Week.
According to AIIMS Delhi's Chief of Forensic Medicine Dr Sudhir Gupta, quoted by ANI, the team flew to Bhopal late Saturday on a state-chartered aircraft with advanced forensic equipment.
The Supreme Court of India on Saturday took suo motu cognisance of the case, registering it as "In Re Alleged Institutional Bias and Procedural Discrepancies in the Unnatural Death of a Young Woman at Matrimonial Home," according to the Deccan Herald and Live Law. A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant is expected to hear the matter on Monday, May 25.
What Is Verified So Far
Twisha Sharma, a model and actor originally from Noida, was found hanging at her matrimonial home in Bhopal's Katara Hills area on May 12, according to Madhya Pradesh police. Her family has alleged dowry harassment and abetment to suicide — a claim that has not yet been independently established by any court. Her in-laws have separately alleged that she suffered from drug addiction; that claim is also under investigation and has not been verified.
Her husband, Samarth Singh, was taken into custody from Jabalpur on May 22, according to Madhya Pradesh police. A Bhopal court has remanded him to seven days of police custody. His bar licence has been suspended after the arrest. Notices have been served on his mother, Giribala Singh, a former judge, in connection with the case.
No court has so far established guilt against any individual. The investigation is ongoing.
Why the Second Autopsy Was Ordered
According to The Week and India TV, the Madhya Pradesh High Court directed the second autopsy after the family and counsel raised concerns about the first post-mortem. The court authorised the Director of AIIMS Delhi to constitute the medical board, on a formal request from the Madhya Pradesh government. The team is also expected to visit the incident site, ANI reported. Twisha's counsel Ankur Pandey told reporters the second autopsy would focus on specific aspects linked to the injuries and circumstances of death.
The CBI Question
The Madhya Pradesh government has recommended a CBI probe into the matter, according to The Week. Twisha's father has publicly thanked Chief Minister Mohan Yadav for the state's support.
Why This Case Has Drawn National Attention
Cases involving families with legal or political connections often draw allegations of procedural lapses. The Supreme Court's suo motu notice flags exactly those concerns. National Crime Records Bureau data over the past decade has consistently shown that dowry-related deaths and matrimonial cruelty remain among the most under-reported and under-prosecuted categories of crime against women in India. Whatever the eventual forensic findings, the proceedings here will set a reference point for how unnatural deaths in matrimonial homes are handled in future.
FAQ
Q1. When did Twisha Sharma die? She was found hanging at her matrimonial home in Bhopal's Katara Hills on May 12, 2026, according to police.
Q2. Why was a second autopsy ordered? The Madhya Pradesh High Court directed it after the family raised concerns about the first post-mortem.
Q3. Has anyone been convicted in the case? No. The accused are in police custody and the investigation is ongoing. No court has established guilt.
What Happens Next
May 25: Supreme Court is expected to take up the suo motu case. Coming days: Second autopsy report to be submitted to the court; police custody of the accused continues. Pending: State government's CBI recommendation, possible central probe.
Sources
ANI, India TV, The Week, Deccan Herald, Live Law, Devdiscourse, Madhya Pradesh police statements.
Bottom line: This case is no longer only about one family's grief. It is now a test of whether India's institutions can investigate the unnatural death of a young woman with the seriousness it demands — regardless of who the accused is.
Last updated: May 24, 2026 — 3:00 p.m. IST