The Supreme Court of India took suo motu cognisance of the death of former model and actor Twisha Sharma, who was found dead at her matrimonial home in Bhopal on May 12.

During the hearing, a bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant expressed concern over the manner in which the case was being handled and emphasised the need for a fair, independent and impartial investigation.

The Court also urged the media to exercise restraint and avoid speculative reporting or amplifying statements from either the victim’s or accused’s families, stressing that the investigation must proceed without external pressure or narrative-building.

The Solicitor General, representing the Madhya Pradesh government, informed the Court that significant progress had been made in the investigation and justified media attention in bringing urgency to the matter.

He also remarked that, in general terms, it is better for parents to have a divorced daughter than to lose her in such circumstances, a statement made during the emotionally charged hearing.The Court noted allegations of procedural lapses, delays in filing the FIR, and concerns over preservation of evidence raised by the victim’s family.

It also acknowledged reports suggesting possible bias in the state police investigation due to the involvement of individuals connected to the judiciary, including the accused husband being a lawyer and the mother-in-law being a retired judicial officer.

The Court welcomed the Madhya Pradesh government’s decision to transfer the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and confirmed that a CBI team had been dispatched to Bhopal to take over the probe.

It further directed all parties, including potential witnesses and accused persons, to refrain from making public statements and instead cooperate fully with the investigating agencies.The bench reiterated that its observations were not on the merits of the case and that the truth must emerge through a fair investigation.