NEW DELHI, May 25 -- The Supreme Court on Monday assured a fair, independent and impartial CBI investigation into the death of former model-turned-actor Twisha Sharma, while expressing concern over the growing narrative that the judiciary was shielding the accused in the case.

Hearing the matter suo motu, a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said it was "pained" by the public perception surrounding the investigation and urged restraint from both the media and the families involved.

"We request the media not to record statements of the victim's family and reduce their pain to sound bites," the bench observed, adding that speculation and competing narratives should be avoided while the investigation is underway.

The court was informed by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Madhya Pradesh government, that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is likely to formally take over the probe within a day. He said the state government had already written to the Centre recommending a CBI inquiry into the matter.

During the hearing, Mehta made a strong observation on the social implications of the case, saying: "One thing is clear, that the girl has lost her life. Whether it is suicide or anything else, for parents the moral is that it is better to have a divorced daughter than a dead one."

Twisha Sharma, 33, was found hanging at her matrimonial home in Bhopal's Katara Hills area on May 12. Her family has accused her husband, lawyer Samarth Singh, and mother-in-law, former district judge Giribala Singh, of dowry harassment and abetment to suicide. The in-laws, however, have claimed that Sharma was battling drug addiction.

Police have registered an FIR against Samarth Singh and Giribala Singh on charges related to dowry harassment. The case has drawn nationwide attention following allegations of institutional bias because one of the accused is a former judge. The apex court took suo motu cognisance of the matter after media reports raised concerns over procedural irregularities and possible influence in the investigation. The case has been registered under the title, "In Re: Alleged Institutional Bias and Procedural Discrepancies in the Unnatural Death of Young Woman at Matrimonial Home".

Mehta informed the court that the second autopsy of Sharma's body was conducted on Sunday by a team from AIIMS-Bhopal on the directions of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

Senior advocate Siddharth Dave, appearing for the accused, objected to excessive media coverage and submitted that even the Section 164 CrPC statement recorded before a magistrate had been published in newspapers.

The bench urged both sides to avoid making statements in public and instead cooperate with investigators.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.