The decision came during an important hearing where Solicitor General Tushar Mehta strongly criticised Giribala Singh’s conduct during the investigation. He told the court that her actions went beyond non-cooperation and accused her of trying to influence the investigation through media appearances and public statements.

During the hearing, Mehta argued that repeated press conferences held by Giribala Singh had created a public narrative around the case and could affect witnesses linked to the investigation. He also referred to chats allegedly showing tension between Twisha and her husband, claiming the mother-in-law played a role in creating differences between the couple.

The state government also opposed the continuation of bail. It informed the court that Giribala Singh had allegedly violated conditions imposed while granting her relief, including cooperating with investigators and avoiding any attempt to influence evidence or witnesses.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which recently took over the case, sought cancellation of her bail and requested custodial interrogation. The agency re-registered the FIR earlier this week after taking over the investigation from the Madhya Pradesh Police.

The FIR names Twisha’s husband Samarth Singh and his mother Giribala Singh as accused. The CBI has invoked charges related to dowry death, cruelty by husband or relatives, common intention and provisions under the Dowry Prohibition Act.

In a separate development, a Bhopal court sent Samarth Singh to CBI custody on Wednesday after the agency sought his remand. Samarth, who works as a lawyer, had earlier been arrested by the Special Investigation Team after allegedly remaining absconding for several days.

According to Twisha Sharma’s family, she faced mental harassment, domestic violence and pressure related to dowry after her marriage in December 2025. The family alleged that her in-laws were unhappy with the dowry given during the marriage and repeatedly harassed her.

Twisha Sharma was found hanging at her matrimonial home in Bhopal on May 12. Following concerns raised by her family over the initial investigation, the Madhya Pradesh High Court recently ordered a second postmortem examination. A team of doctors from AIIMS Delhi conducted the examination in Bhopal earlier this week.

The harassment began on the wedding day itself the groom and his father demanded Rs 10 lakh and a Scorpio car at the time of vidaayi (farewell), according to Shweta's two sisters Komal and Jyoti. 

They further said that the money spent on the wedding was already far more than their financial capacity, yet they were pressed with more demands including Rs 10 lakh and a Scorpio car, forcing their father to fall on his knees, and hold Bhupendra's feet with folded hands.

Bhupendra did not utter a word, and instead dragged Shweta to the car, without letting her say a proper goodbye to the family, the two sisters alleged.

Repeated torture, 24-hour surveillance, forced to quit work

Shweta's family alleged that she was mentally tortured on daily basis and was even barred from meeting her family. Bhupendra would not let Shweta speak to her family and kept her under constant surveillance. In case Shweta visited her ailing mother, her husband would create chaos.

Shweta, who worked in the debit card department at HDFC Bank, was allegedly made to quit her job soon after her marriage was fixed. According to her family, she was assured that she would be allowed to return to work a few months after the wedding. However, they alleged that her husband Bhupendra Singh and his family wanted her to remain a homemaker, which reportedly became a frequent cause of arguments.

According to the police complaint, Shweta had spoken to her father nearly two hours before the news of her death reached the family, and had also spoken to her sister about an hour earlier. Her family said there was nothing unusual in her behaviour during those conversations, and they did not suspect anything was wrong.

By the time Shweta’s family reached her marital home, her in-laws had already taken her to the hospital, where doctors declared her dead.

Shweta’s family has filed a complaint with the Lucknow Police, accusing the Singh family of carrying out a “pre-planned murder” of their daughter.

Police have arrested Bhupendra Singh and his father, Kaushlendra Singh, and are currently questioning them as part of the investigation.

A group of CPI(M) workers attacked the vehicle carrying probe agency sleuths and damaged its windshield while raising slogans against the central agency. 

The protests erupted amid ED raids at 10 locations across Kerala, including Vijayan’s current residence in Thiruvananthapuram, his native home in Kannur, and the Kozhikode residence of his son-in-law and former minister Mohammed Riyas.

Meanwhile Vijayan and his family remained inside the residence as ED conducted raids and hundreds of CPI(M) supporters gathered outside, staging protests against the central agency.

During the protest, some demonstrators allegedly threw plastic bottles, helmets, and stones at security personnel deployed at the site. Senior leaders of Communist Party of India (Marxist) later stepped in, calmed the workers, and convinced them to end the violent protest.

What is the CMRL pay-off case?

The money laundering case centres on allegations that Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) made payments to Exalogic Solutions, an IT company owned by Veena Vijayan, without receiving any actual services in return.

Investigating agencies, including the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), claim that Exalogic received around Rs 2.7 crore from CMRL over several years under consultancy and IT service agreements. Authorities are investigating whether these payments were actually illegal benefits or linked to political favouritism.

The ED’s action specifically relates to allegations that CMRL paid Rs 1.72 crore to Exalogic Solutions between 2018 and 2019 without receiving any services in return. The searches were conducted a day after the Kerala High Court dismissed CMRL’s plea seeking to quash the ED proceedings.

M A Baby alleged that the ED raids at the residences of Pinarayi Vijayan and others were politically motivated and described them as a “heinous attack.” Speaking to reporters in Delhi, he said the party would prove that the raids were driven by political motives.

Pinarayi Vijayan has repeatedly rejected the allegations against his daughter, saying they are an attempt to damage his reputation and politically defame him.

The airline said flight AI173, operated with a Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft, landed safely in Delhi following standard safety procedures. Around 230 passengers were on board the flight.

According to flight tracking websites, the aircraft remained airborne for more than eight hours before turning back to Delhi.

In an official statement, Air India said the aircraft would now undergo a detailed technical inspection as per safety norms.

The airline also said arrangements were being made to minimise inconvenience to passengers. Alternative travel options, hotel stay, refreshments and rescheduling support were being provided by the ground staff.

“We regret the inconvenience caused to passengers and are making every effort to fly them to their destination at the earliest,” the airline said.

The incident comes days after another Air India flight from Bengaluru to Delhi reported an engine-related issue during landing at the Indira Gandhi International Airport.

That flight, AI2802, carrying 171 passengers, had declared a full emergency after the cockpit crew received a warning related to one of the aircraft’s engines while approaching Delhi. The Airbus A320 aircraft landed safely and was later moved from the runway.

Air India had then said it would conduct a full investigation into the matter in coordination with aviation authorities, adding that passenger safety remains its top priority.

The 10-coach hydrogen train, developed under Northern Railways, has successfully completed trial runs and achieved speeds of up to 75 kmph. Railway officials confirmed that the approval currently applies only to the Jind-Sonepat route.

Haryana to become hub of green rail technology

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini described the project as a landmark achievement.

According to officials, permission has already been granted for hydrogen production, storage and refuelling facilities in Jind. A dedicated control room will function round the clock at the hydrogen plant and refuelling station, while access to sensitive areas will remain restricted for security reasons.

How the hydrogen train works

Unlike conventional diesel trains, the hydrogen-powered DEMU uses fuel cells that convert hydrogen into electricity to run the train’s motors. The biggest environmental advantage is that the system produces only water vapour as a by-product, resulting in zero harmful emissions.

The project was initiated in December 2021 after the Research Designs and Standards Organisation finalised the design framework. The train has been manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai with advanced systems, including hydrogen cylinders, fuel cells, batteries and air reservoirs.

World’s longest broad-gauge hydrogen train

Indian Railways claims the train is the world’s longest hydrogen-powered train operating on a broad-gauge network. It consists of two driving power cars and eight passenger coaches with a total power output of 2400 kW.

The train can accommodate nearly 2,600 passengers and has been designed to operate efficiently on Indian railway tracks while maintaining high safety standards.

Railways’ bigger hydrogen mission

The Ministry of Railways has earmarked Rs 2,800 crore for hydrogen train development under its green mobility initiative. Under the “Hydrogen for Heritage” programme, the Indian Railways plans to introduce 35 hydrogen-powered trains, especially on heritage and hill routes.

Meanwhile, railway authorities have also launched a pilot project to convert an existing diesel DEMU into a hydrogen-powered train for the same Jind-Sonepat section. For the initial three months of operation, trained technical staff will remain onboard the train to immediately address any technical issues during the journey.

According to sources, the airline is likely to reduce its domestic flight services by nearly 20 to 22 per cent, while international operations have already witnessed a cut of around 27 per cent. The move comes as the financially strained carrier attempts to streamline operations amid increasing cost pressures.

At present, Air India operates nearly 4,400 flights every week, including around 3,600 domestic services and approximately 800 international flights.

In an official statement issued on Wednesday, the airline said it would continue with the earlier announced changes to select international routes between June and August 2026. During the same period, the airline has also temporarily rationalised operations on certain domestic sectors by reducing flight frequencies on selected routes.

The airline stated that the decision was taken after evaluating the continued impact of elevated fuel prices on overall operations. It added that the situation is being closely monitored and services may be restored once operational conditions stabilise.

Air India also assured passengers affected by the revised schedule that they would receive assistance through alternative flight arrangements, complimentary rescheduling options or full refunds in accordance with applicable rules.

The reduction in services is expected to affect several routes across the airline’s domestic network, though the company has not yet disclosed route-specific details.

A bench comprising Justice Arun Monga and Justice Yogendra Kumar Purohit freed Asaram of charges under IPC Section 376 (D) and Sections 5(G)/6 of the POCSO Act.

Meanwhile the bench upheld his conviction under IPC Section 376(2)(F), pertaining to rape of a minor and sustaining his sentence of life imprisonment awarded by the trial court. 

The court also directed Asaram to surrender in view of the conviction. Currently he is out on bail which was extended by seven days on Monday.

Meanwhile, the court acquitted co-accused Sanchita Gupta alias Shilpi and Sharat Chandra, who had earlier been convicted under Sections 370(4) read with 120(B) and 370(D), respectively.

Asaram was convicted on April 25, 2018 for sexually assaulting a minor student at his ashram and was sentenced to life imprisonment under multiple provisions of the IPC, POCSO Act, and Juvenile Justice Act.

The fire, which reportedly started in the forest area surrounding Kasauli, quickly intensified due to dry weather and strong winds. Authorities said the blaze engulfed a large stretch of forest land within a short span, prompting emergency response teams to launch a major firefighting operation.

As the flames advanced dangerously close to the Air Force Station in Kasauli, the Indian Air Force stepped in and deployed two helicopters, a Mi-17 and a Chinook, to assist in controlling the fire in the difficult hilly terrain.

The helicopters have been carrying water from Chandigarh’s Sukhna Lake and dropping it over the affected forest areas in an effort to contain the rapidly spreading blaze. Officials said the aerial firefighting operation was initiated after ground teams struggled to control the fire due to the inaccessible terrain and worsening conditions.

Teams from the Forest Department and Fire Brigade, along with several fire tenders, remain stationed at the site and are continuously engaged in firefighting efforts. However, despite ongoing operations, the fire had not been fully brought under control till the latest reports.

Meanwhile, another forest fire incident has been reported near Rajhana village on the outskirts of Shimla. Following the alert, Forest Department officials and fire personnel rushed to the spot and began efforts to prevent the flames from spreading further.

The incidents come at a time when North India is reeling under severe heatwave conditions, locally referred to as ‘Nautapa’, which has significantly increased the risk of forest fires across hill states including Himachal Pradesh.

CBI officials are also reviewing the initial findings and documents prepared by the Bhopal Police during the early stages of the investigation.

According to the case records, Twisha had spoken to her father several times over the phone on the day of the incident. Statements recorded earlier by the police revealed that her family had accused her husband and in-laws of harassing her for dowry after her marriage.

As per the complaint filed by the family, Twisha was speaking to her mother around 9.41 pm on May 12 when her husband was allegedly heard shouting in the background. He reportedly questioned her about whom she was talking to and demanded to see certain documents.

Soon after the call, Twisha’s phone became unreachable for nearly 20 minutes. Her family members repeatedly tried to contact her but received no response.

Worried by the sudden silence, Twisha’s mother, Rashi, called her mother-in-law, Giribala Singh. In the complaint, the family alleged that Giribala briefly answered the call and said, “She is no more,” before disconnecting.

According to FIR No. 133/2026 registered at Katara Hills police station, Samarth Singh later took Twisha to AIIMS Bhopal. He reportedly informed doctors that his wife had died by suicide around 10.20 pm. Doctors declared her dead after examination.

The FIR further stated that AIIMS doctor Kartik informed the police shortly after midnight regarding Samarth Singh’s statement about the alleged suicide.

The CBI FIR also mentioned preliminary post-mortem findings noted by the Bhopal Police. The report stated that the cause of death was “antemortem hanging by ligature.” It also recorded multiple simple injuries on different parts of the body that were possibly caused by blunt force.

Under Indian law, any unnatural or suspicious death of a woman within seven years of marriage requires a mandatory investigation by an Executive or Judicial Magistrate under Sections 174 and 176 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).

The law also provides for dowry death charges if evidence of dowry-related harassment is found in such cases. The offence carries punishment ranging from seven years in prison to life imprisonment.

The FIR further alleged that Twisha Sharma’s mother-in-law had demanded Rs 2 lakh during the ‘vidai’ ceremony at the time of her marriage to Samarth Singh in December. Investigators are now examining these allegations as part of the dowry harassment probe.

The verdict comes just ahead of roll out of the third and final phase of the  SIR on MAY 30 across 16 states and three Union Territories, where fresh verification and revision of voter rolls are set to be carried out by the poll panel.

"We are equally satisfied that the object sought to be achieved by the SIR bears a direct nexus to the constitutional goal of free and fair elections," the Chief Justice said while pronouncing the verdict.

"The impugned SIR does not detract from the constitutional obligation of free and fair elections," the court added while upholding the exercise introduced in Bihar and later extended to other states.

The bench also observed that the SIR does not override existing election laws. “Rather, it breathes life into the constitutional mandate under Article 324 within the precise statutory contours provided by Section 21(3),” it stated.

"Therefore, it cannot be said that the Commission has acted in excess of its statutory powers," it added.

The top court’s ruling comes after months of a fierce standoff between the EC and opposition parties over the revision process.

The deceased has been ientified as Shweta Singh, who was found hanging at her in-laws' residence in Lucknow's Thakurganj area. Her family has alleged that she faced repeated harassment by her in-laws over dowry demands including pressure for four-wheeler, who murdered her before staging the scene to look like suicide.

Shweta had married Bhupendra Singh, also known as Shubham Singh, on November 22, 2025. 

According to her father, Umesh Kumar Singh, the harassment started shortly after Shweta’s marriage. He alleged that her husband subjected her to constant mental abuse, while her mother-in-law allegedly encouraged other family members to taunt and harass her, pushing the young woman into severe emotional distress.

Police registered an FIR on Tuesday based on a complaint filed by Umesh Kumar Singh.

Those named in the case include Bhupendra Singh, his parents, brother, sister-in-law and sister. They have been booked under Sections 80 (dowry death) and 85 (cruelty) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with relevant provisions of the Dowry Prohibition Act.

Omveer Singh Chauhan, SHO of Thakurganj police station, said Shweta’s in-laws rushed her to hospital after allegedly finding her hanging. Doctors, however, declared her dead on arrival.

Police said all the accused are absconding, and multiple raids are underway to locate them.

A senior officer said the next course of action would depend on the findings of the post-mortem examination. Shweta’s body has been sent for autopsy.

Her parents have accused her husband’s entire family of murder and sustained dowry harassment.

The agency conducted raids at 12 locations across Kerala under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), including a rented residence used by Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram.

The case centres around allegations that Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) paid Rs 1.72 crore to Exalogic Solutions, a company owned by Vijayan’s daughter T Veena, between 2018 and 2019 without receiving any services in return. Investigators suspect the payments were illegal.

The searches came a day after the Kerala High Court dismissed a plea filed by CMRL seeking to quash the ED proceedings. The agency had registered the PMLA case in 2024, and the controversy has since remained one of the most politically damaging issues faced by the Vijayan administration.

Apart from the ED inquiry, the matter is also under investigation by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office.

Meanwhile, the political fallout widened on Tuesday when five police officers attached to Vijayan, including members of his security team, were suspended. The Kerala government is also considering disciplinary action against senior police officer M. R. Ajith Kumar over allegations that he attempted to interfere with the probe.

The action followed findings by a Special Investigation Team set up after V. D. Satheesan assumed office as Chief Minister. According to reports, the SIT concluded that police personnel had illegally used force and weapons against Youth Congress and KSU activists protesting during Vijayan’s Nava Kerala Yatra in Alappuzha in December 2023.

After stepping down as Chief Minister, Vijayan quickly took on the role of Leader of the Opposition. He questioned the new UDF government over its promises, asking what measures it would take against the Centre and to reduce taxes. He also criticised the recent fuel price hike, calling it “daylight robbery” despite falling Brent crude oil prices.

According to sources, Siddaramaiah has already consulted his close supporters and conveyed that he would “respect the decision of the high command”. He may resign from the Chief Minister’s post as early as Wednesday, sources added.

Earlier in the day, the Congress leadership held a marathon six-hour meeting but publicly maintained that the discussions were limited to the upcoming Rajya Sabha and MLC elections in Karnataka. Party General Secretary K. C. Venugopal dismissed speculation surrounding a leadership change, stating briefly, “Discussions were held regarding the Rajya Sabha and MLC elections. There is no truth to any other speculation.”

Sources, however, said Siddaramaiah has called his ministers for a breakfast meeting on Thursday, fuelling speculation that he could formally announce his resignation there. Meanwhile, Congress Karnataka in-charge Randeep Surjewala is expected to arrive in Bengaluru on Wednesday afternoon. If the transition proceeds smoothly, sources believe the new government could be sworn in within a week.

Sources also suggested that the incoming administration may include multiple Deputy Chief Ministers, with several positions likely to be offered to Siddaramaiah loyalists as part of the transition arrangement.

According to a fresh notification issued by the administration, a partial modification has been made to the official holiday list for the year. As per the revised order, all government offices, boards, corporations, institutions, and industrial establishments under the Chandigarh Administration will remain closed on May 28.

Officials said the decision was taken in view of the expected moon sighting and the likely date of the festival. 

The administration clarified that the amendment has been made to ensure the public holiday aligns with the actual observance of Eid-ul-Zuha.

The accused, identified as Kamaljeet, a resident of Mukundpur, was arrested after the police conducted a raid at a building in the Naya Bans locality on May 23 following a tip-off about the illegal activity.

According to police, the unit was allegedly producing fake turmeric powder, red chilli powder, yellow chilli powder, coriander powder, amchoor powder and garam masala using poor-quality ingredients and toxic adulterants.

During the inspection, the police team recovered artificial food colours suspected to be non-edible, rice particles, chilli stalks, coriander stems and other substances allegedly mixed with spices to increase quantity and profits.

Officials also seized grinding machines and equipment used for preparing and packaging the adulterated products. The police said the fake spices were reportedly being supplied to different areas across Delhi-NCR.

The total quantity of seized adulterated spices and raw material was around 801.88 kg, officials added.

The police further stated that the entire search and seizure process was documented through the E-Sakshya application as part of legal procedure.

Teams from the Delhi government’s food safety department also visited the spot and collected samples for laboratory testing. Further legal action will be taken based on the report.

A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and further investigation is underway.

Air India Express will begin a daily direct service between Chandigarh and Pune, giving passengers another travel option on the busy route. The flight will leave Chandigarh at 12.45 am and land in Pune at around 3.10 am. The return flight will depart from Pune at 3.45 am and reach Chandigarh at 6.05 am.

Officials said this will be the first post-midnight flight to operate from Chandigarh airport during the summer schedule.

The airport will also get an additional direct flight to Bengaluru. The new service will depart from Chandigarh at 6.40 am and arrive at Kempegowda International Airport Terminal 2 at 9.55 am. On the return journey, the flight will leave Bengaluru at 9.15 pm and reach Chandigarh at 12.15 am.

Bookings for both new flights have already opened.

With the addition of the new Bengaluru service, the number of non-stop flights between Chandigarh and Bengaluru will increase to five daily flights, helping meet the growing passenger demand on the sector.

At present, only one direct flight operates between Chandigarh and Pune. The service is currently handled by IndiGo.

According to details accessed from the CBI FIR, Giribala Singh allegedly demanded Rs 2 lakh from Twisha’s family at the time of her ‘vidai’ following her marriage to Samarth Singh in December last year. The FIR states that the amount was paid by Twisha’s family after repeated insistence from the accused side.

The central agency took over the probe from the Bhopal Police earlier this week after the Madhya Pradesh government handed the case to the CBI amid growing public attention and allegations raised by Twisha’s family.

The FIR, registered on May 25, 2026, invokes Sections 80(2), 85 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Sections 3 and 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act. The case relates to allegations of dowry harassment, cruelty and dowry death.

Allegations of harassment after marriage

As per the FIR, Twisha Sharma married Samarth Singh on December 9, 2025. Her family has alleged that soon after the marriage, she was subjected to continuous mental and physical harassment over dowry demands.

The complaint submitted to investigators claims that Twisha repeatedly faced pressure and mistreatment from her husband and mother-in-law. Both Samarth Singh and Giribala Singh have been named as accused in the case.

The CBI has now begun examining allegations related to dowry harassment, criminal conspiracy and possible destruction of evidence. Officials have already collected documents, statements and forensic material gathered during the earlier police investigation.

Husband arrested after remaining absconding

The case gained further attention after Samarth Singh allegedly remained absconding for nearly 10 days following Twisha’s death. He was eventually arrested last week from Jabalpur after police tracked his movements.

Investigators are also examining why he avoided contact during the period and whether anyone helped him evade arrest.

Twisha, 33, was found hanging at her matrimonial home in Bhopal on May 12. While her in-laws claimed it was a case of suicide, her family accused the husband’s family of dowry harassment, mental torture and abetment to suicide.

The Singh family has denied all allegations and claimed that Twisha was struggling emotionally and had issues related to drug addiction. However, investigators are verifying those claims independently.

Injury marks raise fresh questions

The postmortem report confirmed that Twisha died due to “antemortem hanging”, indicating she was alive at the time of hanging. However, injury marks found on her body added another layer of suspicion to the case.

According to officials, some injuries appeared consistent with impact caused by a heavy object or physical assault. These findings prompted Twisha’s family to demand a second autopsy.

Last week, the Madhya Pradesh High Court ordered a fresh postmortem examination by a team of doctors from AIIMS Delhi after the family alleged lapses in the first autopsy conducted locally.

The second medical examination is expected to play a key role in determining whether there were signs of assault before death.

Supreme Court seeks restraint

The case also reached the Supreme Court, which recently took suo motu cognisance of the matter while expressing concern over allegations of institutional bias and procedural irregularities during the initial investigation.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, observed that both families were engaging with the media excessively while the investigation was still underway.

The court also advised the media to exercise restraint while reporting on developments related to the sensitive case.

A CBI team from Delhi’s Special Crime Unit arrived in Bhopal on Monday and collected the case diary, witness statements, medical records, forensic material and digital evidence gathered so far by the Bhopal Police. The agency re-registered the FIR originally lodged by the local police and named Twisha’s husband Samarth Singh and mother-in-law Giribala Singh, a retired district judge, in the case linked to allegations of dowry harassment and dowry death.

The development comes a day after the Supreme Court called for a free, fair and independent investigation into the 33-year-old actor’s death on May 12.

CBI examines contradictions in Samarth’s version

With the probe now under central investigation, attention has shifted to the statements made by Samarth Singh during nearly 10 hours of interrogation conducted over three days while he remained in police custody.

According to investigators, Samarth admitted that his marriage with Twisha had become strained in recent months, though he denied allegations of physical assault or domestic violence. He reportedly told the police that frequent arguments had become common after March and tensions escalated further following the wedding of Twisha’s brother.

Investigators questioned him extensively about the evolution of the relationship, from their first meeting and courtship to the changes that emerged within months of marriage. The police also sought details about Twisha’s visits to her parental home and whether those visits followed domestic disputes.

Samarth maintained that the marriage remained “normal” during the initial months and claimed the relationship deteriorated after Twisha learned about her pregnancy in April.

Pregnancy, abortion claims under scanner

One of the most sensitive aspects of the investigation revolves around Twisha’s pregnancy and subsequent abortion.

During questioning, Samarth told the police that he wished to become a father, but alleged that Twisha did not want to continue the pregnancy. He claimed the abortion was conducted on her insistence and after medical consultation, adding that both of them had visited the doctor together and obtained prescribed medication legally.

However, investigators are now examining medical documents and treatment records to verify his claims.

The issue gained further significance after investigators reportedly recovered WhatsApp messages suggesting that Samarth had raised doubts over the paternity of the unborn child. The chats are being seen as potentially contradictory to his statement that both he and his mother wanted the baby.

According to police sources, Twisha’s family has alleged that her mental and emotional distress intensified after disputes linked to the pregnancy surfaced. Family members have also claimed that she lost nearly 15 kg during this period.

Mental health claims and psychiatric treatment questioned

Another major area being examined is Samarth’s claim regarding Twisha’s mental health.

During interrogation, he alleged that Twisha suffered from Bipolar Disorder and later developed what doctors described as an “adjustment disorder”. He claimed her behaviour changed abruptly after pregnancy and said she experienced emotional instability and stress.

Samarth further stated that sleeping pills and psychiatric medication were administered strictly on medical advice to reduce anxiety and help her cope emotionally.

Investigators are now trying to determine when the psychiatric treatment actually began, whether Twisha’s family had been informed, and if proper consent procedures were followed. The CBI is also expected to verify whether the treatment was medically justified or misused.

Deleted chats, digital trail become key evidence

Investigators are also focusing on alleged tampering of digital evidence.

Police sources said Samarth deleted several chat conversations from his mobile phone, including exchanges with Twisha and her family members. Technical experts are now attempting to recover the deleted data, which investigators believe could become crucial to establishing the nature of the relationship.

The chats are particularly important because Twisha had allegedly complained to her family that she was forced to quit her job and was not allowed to continue working online.

Samarth denied the allegation and told investigators that Twisha left her job voluntarily after marriage because the couple preferred spending more time together.

Events of May 12 under detailed examination

Recounting the events leading to Twisha’s death on May 12, Samarth told investigators that the day appeared completely normal. According to his statement, the couple went to the gym together, had meals, took a walk inside the residential society and later watched television at home.

He claimed he eventually fell asleep while Twisha went downstairs to speak with her family on the phone.

Later that night, he alleged, his mother Giribala Singh woke him after receiving a call from Twisha’s mother, who was concerned because her daughter was not answering her phone. Samarth claimed they then searched the house and found Twisha hanging on the terrace.

According to his statement, they brought her down immediately, attempted CPR and rushed her to AIIMS Bhopal, where doctors declared her dead.

Questions over absconding period

The CBI is also examining Samarth’s conduct after the incident. After Twisha’s death, he allegedly remained absconding for nearly 10 days before being arrested from Jabalpur. During questioning, he admitted that he deliberately avoided using his mobile phone to prevent the police from tracing him.

Investigators are now trying to identify individuals who may have sheltered or assisted him during the period he remained underground.

Twisha’s family has accused Samarth Singh and Giribala Singh of dowry harassment, physical assault, mental cruelty and destruction of evidence, while the accused family continues to maintain that Twisha was emotionally unstable and that they had no role in her death.

Ram Rahim currently lodged in the Sunaria jail in Haryana's Rohtak, is  serving 20-year sentence after being convicted of sexually assaulting two of his disciples. 

According to officers, Ram Rahim will stay at his Dera headquarters in Sirsa during the parole period. He is not allowed to assemble his followers at his Deras, but he can address them virtually.

Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh first came out of prison on October 24, 2020 (1-day parole); then on May 21, 2021 (12-hour parole to meet his ailing mother); February 7, 2022 (21-day furlough); June 2022 (30-day parole); October 14, 2022 (40-day parole). He was then released on January 21, 2023 (40-day parole); July 20, 2023 (30-day parole); November 21, 2023 (21-day furlough); January 19, 2024 (50-day furlough); August 13, 2024 (21-day furlough); October 2, 2024 (20-day parole); January 28, 2025 (30-day parole); April 9 2025 (21-day furlough) and August 5, 2025 (40-day parole).

This is the third increase in CNG prices within nine days and the fourth in the past 11 days. Earlier, rates were raised by ₹1 per kg on Sunday and again by ₹1 per kg on Friday, following a ₹2 per kg hike on May 15. Overall, CNG prices in Delhi have gone up by ₹7 per kg since May 15. However, prices of piped natural gas supplied to households and domestic LPG cylinders remain unchanged for now.

The latest hikes come as oil marketing companies continue to face pressure due to rising global crude oil prices. Industry sources attribute the surge to concerns over potential disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil shipping route, amid ongoing US-Iran tensions.

Global crude markets remain volatile due to supply worries linked to instability in the Gulf region. Brent crude is currently trading at around USD 86 per barrel, compared to USD 72 before the Middle East conflict escalated on February 28.

Notably, this increase comes just days after petrol and diesel prices were also raised across the country on Saturday, marking the third fuel price hike this month amid rising crude costs and geopolitical tensions in West Asia.