High Court cancels anticipatory bail as CBI records 360-degree visuals of Giribala Singh’s Katara Hills home

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Thursday moved rapidly after the Madhya Pradesh High Court cancelled anticipatory bail for retired judge Giribala Singh in the high-profile death of 22-year-old Twisha Sharma, officials and sources said, with investigators conducting detailed digital mapping of the accused’s house and questioning her at the residence. According to sources familiar with the probe, Giribala could be arrested any time.

Order and timing

The High Court’s 17-page order, issued late on Wednesday, set aside the anticipatory bail granted earlier by a trial court. The bench observed that given the seriousness of the allegations, the evidence on record and the present stage of the investigation, relief was not warranted. The court noted multiple injury marks on Twisha’s body and said the accused had not offered satisfactory explanations, according to a copy of the order made available to reporters.

CBI activity at scene

A CBI team reached Giribala Singh’s home in the Katara Hills area of Bhopal around 10.30 am on Thursday and began questioning her, officials said. Investigators installed a high-intensity 3D camera inside the residence to take precise measurements and record 360-degree visuals of the first floor and other areas, part of a broader effort to recreate the crime scene and preserve digital evidence.

“Teams are recording the internal layout, the heights of walls and vantage points that could help corroborate statements,” an official involved in the probe said on condition of anonymity. The visuals are being added to the case file as scientific evidence, the source added.

Sequence of events

Twisha, who was married in 2023, died on the night of May 12 and was taken to AIIMS Bhopal, where an initial post-mortem recorded hanging marks and other injuries, the court order said. Police seized mobile phones and a DVR from the house the same day. The trial court had earlier granted anticipatory bail after noting certain WhatsApp messages that primarily complained about the husband and financial transfers into Twisha’s account. That order has now been overturned following a deeper review by the High Court.

Allegations and evidence

Prosecutors and investigating agencies contend WhatsApp chats and statements from Twisha’s family indicate alleged mental harassment, pressure to abort a pregnancy and demands for dowry. The High Court flagged inconsistencies in the defence account and raised concerns about potential attempts to influence the probe, noting public statements that could have tarnished the deceased’s image.

The post-mortem, the court said, found injuries that could not be explained simply as marks sustained while cutting down a body, making custodial interrogation of key accused necessary. The CBI has also been examining call detail records, digital backups and CCTV footage, and is probing whether any footage was tampered with, officials said.

Custody and questioning

Twisha’s husband, Samarth Singh, remains in CBI remand until May 29 as investigators try to reconstruct his whereabouts on the night of May 12 and reconcile his statements with technical evidence. Sources said the agency is also tracing contacts he had while allegedly absconding and matching his movements with phone records and digital footprints.

Security and ground reaction

Security around Giribala’s home was tightened on Thursday, with additional police personnel deployed in the neighbourhood. Local residents and journalists gathered outside the house; a reporter from a Bhopal daily filed live updates as the CBI proceeded. In a brief sighting on Thursday morning, Giribala was seen outside feeding street dogs, one source said.

What happens next

With anticipatory bail vacated and the CBI actively recording and analysing scene visuals, officials say an arrest could follow if questioning and evidence review point to custodial needs. The agency is expected to seek formal remand if it decides to take Giribala into custody. Court filings and formal charges, if any, will determine the next legal steps.

Investigators stressed that the probe is ongoing and that conclusions will rely on the forensic, digital and circumstantial evidence being assembled. The CBI declined immediate comment; the High Court registry confirmed the order but did not offer further comment beyond the written judgment.