Divorced Daughter Better Than Dead Daughter, Says SG As SC Hears Twisha Sharma Case

A sharp remark made during the Supreme Court hearing in the Twisha death case drew attention on Monday, as Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said, “A divorced daughter is better than a dead daughter,” while referring to the allegations and family dynamics surrounding the case.

The comment came during a suo motu hearing by the Supreme Court in the Twisha Sharma death case where the apex court repeatedly urged both sides and the media to avoid premature statements that could influence the ongoing investigation into the death of 33-year-old former Miss Pune Twisha Sharma.

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant stressed that the law should be allowed to take its course and cautioned the media against turning the case into a trial through public commentary and “sound bites”.

‘Divorced Daughter Better Than Dead Daughter’

Appearing for the Madhya Pradesh government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the deceased woman’s family should have paid attention to her complaints earlier.

“A divorced daughter is better than a dead daughter,” Mehta said during the proceedings, while discussing the circumstances leading up to Twisha’s death.

The remark came amid heated exchanges between lawyers representing the victim’s family and the accused side over allegations of dowry harassment, evidence tampering and cooperation with investigators.

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Supreme Court Asks Media to Show Restraint

During the hearing, the CJI urged the media not to make claims based solely on statements from either side.

“Please do not run after sound bites,” the bench observed, adding that premature public commentary could adversely affect the investigation.

The court said all parties should place their submissions before the investigating agency instead of engaging in public accusations and counter-allegations.

The bench also appealed to the media not to seek unnecessary statements from potential witnesses or accused persons while the probe is underway.

Court Expresses Faith in CBI Probe

The Supreme Court said it would refrain from commenting on the merits of the allegations at this stage and expressed confidence in the CBI’s ability to conduct a fair investigation.

“We have faith that the CBI will carry out a proper investigation,” the CJI said.

The court noted that concerns had been raised regarding the transparency of the initial investigation, prompting judicial intervention. It also referred to steps taken by the Madhya Pradesh High Court, including addressing demands for a second postmortem.

According to the bench, doctors from AIIMS Delhi travelled to Bhopal to conduct a fresh postmortem examination, and the last rites of the deceased have since been completed.

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Lawyers Clash Over Evidence, Cooperation Claims

During arguments, the Solicitor General alleged that the deceased woman’s mother-in-law had not fully cooperated with investigators and delayed recording her statement.

Counsel appearing for Giribala Singh denied the allegation and objected to such submissions being made in court, saying her statement had already been recorded.

Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, representing the victim’s family, alleged that evidence in the case had initially been damaged.

Another senior advocate for the accused side, Siddharth Dave, said he too could make several statements publicly in defence but was consciously refraining from doing so.

CBI Probe to Begin Soon

The Madhya Pradesh government informed the court that it had recommended a CBI investigation into the case, while the Solicitor General assured the bench that the probe would begin shortly.

Twisha, originally from Noida, was found hanging at her in-laws’ residence in Bhopal’s Katara Hills area on the night of May 12.

Her family has accused her husband, Samarth Singh, and his relatives, including mother-in-law Giribala Singh, of dowry harassment and abetment to suicide. The accused family has denied the allegations and claimed Twisha struggled with drug addiction.