A husband and his mother-in-law have been charged in connection with the death of Twisha Sharma, a model, actor, and former beauty pageant winner, who was found dead in May, five months after her marriage. Sharma was crowned Miss Pune in 2012 and had also appeared in advertising campaigns and a Telugu-language film.
According to the chargesheet filed by the CBI, Sharma met her husband, Samarth, through a dating app in February 2025, and they married in December. The investigation indicated that Samarth subjected Sharma to mental cruelty on multiple occasions after their marriage, with his mother, Giribala Singh, allegedly instigating him. Singh, a former judge, has denied the allegations.
Friction between Sharma and her in-laws reportedly escalated in April after she became pregnant. Her parental family alleges that her husband and mother-in-law questioned her character and accused her of carrying another man's child, subsequently forcing her to undergo an abortion in early May. Giribala Singh, however, stated that Sharma insisted on the abortion, not wanting to have children.
Singh faced criticism for addressing a press conference and giving interviews shortly after her daughter-in-law's death. During these discussions, she spoke about Sharma's mental health and described her as "liberal," which she elaborated on by discussing "promiscuity" when questioned by an interviewer. These comments sparked significant outrage, with Sharma's father asserting that they were an attempt to tarnish his daughter's reputation.