Twisha Sharma case: Court grants fresh permission to CBI to collect voice samples of Giribala and Samarth Singh

Bhopal

A Bhopal district court on Tuesday granted the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) fresh permission to collect the voice samples of Giribala Singh and Samarth Singh, the two accused in the Twisha Sharma death case, after the agency informed it that they had refused to provide the samples during an earlier exercise at the Bhopal Central Jail despite having earlier agreed before the court.

The court also extended their judicial remand till July 28. The Judicial Magistrate allowed the CBI’s application under Section 349 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), authorising the investigating agency to obtain the voice samples of the accused in accordance with law. During the hearing, the CBI submitted that Singh and Samarth Singh had, on the previous date of hearing, expressed no objection before the court to giving their voice samples.

However, when a CBI team reached the Bhopal Central Jail to collect the samples, both accused allegedly refused to cooperate. The agency told the court that the voice samples were crucial for the ongoing investigation and that the refusal by the accused had delayed an important stage of the probe. It also informed the court that the investigation was still incomplete as reports from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) were awaited and statements of several material witnesses were yet to be recorded.

Meanwhile, counsel appearing for Singh informed the court that her health was not good and that she was undergoing treatment at the hospital inside the Bhopal Central Jail. After considering the submissions, the Magistrate observed that the investigation was still in progress and allowed the CBI’s plea for fresh collection of voice samples while extending the judicial custody of both accused by another 14 days. The court also recorded that despite service of notice, no advocate had appeared on behalf of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi.