MP Women's Panel Visits Central Jail as Central Agency Correlates Digital and Medical Clues

BHOPAL: The ongoing Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the high-profile Tvisha Sharma death case has intensified following the retrieval of the second post-mortem report. Investigators have now shifted focus toward matching detailed medical, digital, and forensic evidence to piece together the exact sequence of events leading up to the actor-model’s death. The development comes alongside a surprise inspection by the state women's commission at the Bhopal Central Jail, where the prime accused and retired district judge, Giribala Singh, remains in judicial custody.

Surprise Inspection in Prison Ward

A team from the Madhya Pradesh State Commission for Women, led by Chairperson Rekha Yadav, conducted an unannounced visit to the Bhopal Central Jail on Wednesday. During the inspection of the female ward, the team met with retired judge Giribala Singh, who is currently under judicial custody in connection with the dowry death case.

Commission officials observed Singh reading Devdutt Pattanaik’s mythological fiction The Pregnant King inside her cell. Upon noticing the arriving delegation, she immediately closed the book. Yadav enquired about the prison conditions, dietary provisions, and medical facilities available to the inmates. According to commission sources, Singh remained calm and stated she had no complaints regarding her treatment.

No Special Treatment Signs Found

The women's panel inspected various sections of the correctional facility, including the hospital ward, kitchen, library, and the art and craft center. Following allegations from the victim’s family regarding potential VIP treatment due to the accused's former judicial standing, the commission stated that no such irregularities were visible during the ground check.

"The inmate appeared composed and did not request any interventions. The commission found no immediate signs indicating that special privileges are being extended to any specific individual within the ward," Rekha Yadav later confirmed to reporters.

However, prison authorities remain on alert, deploying additional guards and upgrading CCTV surveillance near the barrack. Official records indicate that 29 inmates currently serving sentences in the same jail were originally convicted by Singh during her tenure as a district judge in Bhopal between July 2021 and February 2023.

Focus Reverts to Missing Evidence

Meanwhile, the CBI is scrutinizing significant procedural gaps attributed to the local police during the initial hours of the investigation at the Katara Hills residence. Ankur Pandey, the legal counsel representing Tvisha Sharma’s parents, has raised fresh questions over a timeline discrepancy involving the retrieval of a key ligature material.

According to legal documents filed before the High Court, Sub-Inspector Dinesh Sharma reached the spot at approximately 9:42 AM on May 13. While early crime scene photographs clearly showed two distinct belts hanging from separate ceiling rings in the room, the local police reportedly seized only one belt. Furthermore, the seizing officer kept the material in his personal vehicle instead of delivering it immediately to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) forensic experts, handing it over only on May 15 after protests from the family.

Digital Data Under Expert Review

The central agency is conducting a comprehensive review of deleted data, chat history, call logs, and photographs extracted from the mobile phones and laptops recovered from the household. The data correlation aims to verify claims regarding severe financial demands and mental harassment following the couple's marriage in December last year.

Investigating officials are also verifying medical documents presented by the defense during the initial bail applications, which claimed the deceased was undergoing psychiatric treatment. As part of this validation process, the CBI recently questioned Bhopal-based psychiatrist Dr. Satyakant Trivedi. While confirming the meeting with investigators, Dr. Trivedi declined to share specific clinical details publicly, citing medical ethics and patient confidentiality regulations.

Legal Representation Dilemma in Court

The legal proceedings took another turn in the district court after advocates Reina Verma and Shreyas Saxena filed their Vakalatnama to represent Giribala Singh. Because both lawyers are registered panel members of the Legal Aid Defense Counsel under the Legal Services Authority, the local court has sought formal administrative clearance from the authority before permitting them to lead the defense.

The CBI's special crime unit continues to cross-reference the findings of the second autopsy—conducted by a specialized panel from AIIMS Delhi following a Madhya Pradesh High Court directive—with the physical evidence collected during the recent dummy-weight simulation exercise at the crime scene.

Jacqueline Fernandez seeks to turn approver in Sukesh Chandrashekhar case; Delhi court issues notice to ED

The actress filed a formal plea at the Patiala House Court expressing willingness to testify for the prosecution in the ₹200-crore money laundering investigation.

 In a significant turn of events for one of India's most high-profile financial scandals, Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez has moved a Delhi court seeking to become an "approver" in the ₹200-crore money laundering case involving alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar.

The development surfaced during a hearing at the Patiala House Court on Friday, where the actress expressed her intent to cooperate with the prosecution. Additional Sessions Judge Prashant Sharma has issued a notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), seeking its response to Fernandez's application by April 20.

Formal plea for pardon

According to legal sources, Fernandez filed the application through her counsel, expressing readiness to provide a "full and true disclosure" of the facts surrounding the case.

The court directed the actress to submit a formal request to the ED, as the agency must first evaluate her statement before deciding whether to support her transition from an accused to a prosecution witness.

Shift in legal strategy

This move marks a dramatic shift in Fernandez’s legal strategy. For months, the actress had maintained her status as a victim of Chandrashekhar's "sophisticated fraud," claiming she was unaware of the illicit source of the lavish gifts she received.

However, after the Supreme Court and Delhi High Court declined to quash the criminal proceedings against her, legal experts suggest that turning approver may be an attempt to secure a pardon under Section 306 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

Details of alleged gifts

The ED has previously alleged that Fernandez was a direct beneficiary of the proceeds of crime. The agency’s supplementary chargesheet detailed gifts worth over ₹7 crore, including designer bags, luxury cars, and expensive jewellery.

Reports also indicated that Chandrashekhar went as far as gifting a customized private jet and a French vineyard to the actress, though these claims remain part of the ongoing investigation.

Victims of the scam

The case stems from an FIR filed by Aditi Singh, wife of former Fortis Healthcare promoter Shivinder Singh, who alleged that Chandrashekhar cheated her of ₹200 crore.

Chandrashekhar allegedly posed as a high-ranking government official from the Law Ministry while operating out of Rohini Jail to orchestrate the massive extortion racket.

Official stance on status

While Fernandez seeks to testify against Chandrashekhar, the ED has previously argued that she was "consciously involved" in using the proceeds of crime.

The agency's response on Monday will be crucial in determining if her testimony offers enough evidentiary value to warrant a pardon, especially as the case reaches the stage of arguments on charges.

Future legal outlook

If the court and the ED accept her plea, Fernandez will be required to testify truthfully against all co-accused, including Chandrashekhar and his wife, Leena Maria Paul.

Failure to provide a full disclosure after being granted approver status could lead to her being tried for the original offences as well as for giving false evidence. For now, the actress has been granted permission to travel abroad for professional commitments later this month.

As the ₹200-crore money laundering case continues to grab national headlines, all eyes are now on the ED's upcoming response to this latest legal gambit in the Trending News India circuit.