Twisha Sharma death: Court orders second autopsy, says all doubts should be cleared

Allowing Twisha’s father’s plea, Madhya Pradesh High Court orders new examination to be conducted by team of forensic experts constituted by AIIMS Delhi

The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Friday ordered a second postmortem of model and actor Twisha Sharma by a team of forensic experts constituted by AIIMS Delhi, observing that because the death had occurred within six months of marriage, “all doubts from any quarter” should be removed.

In a detailed order passed by Justice Avanindra Kumar Singh, the court allowed a writ petition filed by Twisha’s father, Navnidhi Sharma, seeking the preservation of the body and a fresh postmortem examination by an independent expert board.

The court recorded that the petition specifically sought directions to preserve Twisha’s mortal remains lying in the mortuary at AIIMS Bhopal and restrain authorities from releasing the body for cremation or disposal. The family had also sought the constitution of a medical board by the Director of AIIMS Delhi or AIIMS Jammu to conduct a second postmortem either in Delhi, Jammu or Bhopal.

During the hearing, the counsel appearing for Twisha’s husband, Samarth Singh, said that he had “no objection if the body of the deceased is subjected to a second postmortem”, though he expressed concern that the reputation of doctors at AIIMS Bhopal, “who are very good”, should not be tarnished.

The court also recorded submissions made by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the state, who strongly defended the integrity of the first postmortem while supporting the family’s request for a second examination.

“Conducting a second postmortem does not amount to raising a finger at anyone; rather, it is intended to bolster the confidence of every common person in the entire process, right from the investigation onwards,” the court recorded Mehta as submitting.

The Solicitor General further stated that he neither doubted “the correctness of the report or the competence of the concerned doctor”, but added that “in the best interest of everyone, a second postmortem may be directed”.

A significant portion of the hearing focused on logistical questions surrounding whether Twisha’s body should be transported to Delhi or whether a specialist forensic team should instead travel to Bhopal.

The court recorded that after discussions, the Advocate General informed the Bench that the Madhya Pradesh government was prepared to arrange “all the logistic” support necessary for a team constituted by AIIMS Delhi to travel to Bhopal by special flight and conduct the second postmortem there itself.

Accepting that arrangement, the court directed the Director of AIIMS Delhi to immediately constitute a team of experts who would travel to Bhopal “by special flight arranged by the State Government” to conduct the examination.

“After considering all the grounds, this Court is also of the view that, by directing a second postmortem, neither this Court nor the petitioner has directly or indirectly imputed any wrongful motive or cast any doubt upon the earlier postmortem report or on anyone,” the order states.

At the same time, the court emphasised the extraordinary circumstances of the case. “But death of deceased has taken place within six months of marriage, therefore, second postmortem should be conducted to clear all doubts from any quarter,” the judge observed.

The order contains detailed directions for coordination between AIIMS Delhi and the Madhya Pradesh government. The court directed that once the expert committee is constituted, the director of AIIMS Delhi should immediately send an official email to Additional Chief Secretary Shiv Shekhar Shukla and to the office of the Advocate General so that logistical arrangements could be made without delay.

The court further ordered that the second postmortem report be submitted “in a sealed envelope to the investigating agency”.

Importantly, the court also directed that the entire process be videographed. “Needless to say that with full dignity to the body and as per procedure, a videography shall also be done and record of that videography report shall be a part of the postmortem report,” the order stated.

Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More

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The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Friday ordered a second postmortem of model and actor Twisha Sharma by a team of forensic experts constituted by AIIMS Delhi, observing that because the death had occurred within six months of marriage, “all doubts from any quarter” should be removed.

In a detailed order passed by Justice Avanindra Kumar Singh, the court allowed a writ petition filed by Twisha’s father, Navnidhi Sharma, seeking the preservation of the body and a fresh postmortem examination by an independent expert board.

The court recorded that the petition specifically sought directions to preserve Twisha’s mortal remains lying in the mortuary at AIIMS Bhopal and restrain authorities from releasing the body for cremation or disposal. The family had also sought the constitution of a medical board by the Director of AIIMS Delhi or AIIMS Jammu to conduct a second postmortem either in Delhi, Jammu or Bhopal.

During the hearing, the counsel appearing for Twisha’s husband, Samarth Singh, said that he had “no objection if the body of the deceased is subjected to a second postmortem”, though he expressed concern that the reputation of doctors at AIIMS Bhopal, “who are very good”, should not be tarnished.

The court also recorded submissions made by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the state, who strongly defended the integrity of the first postmortem while supporting the family’s request for a second examination.

“Conducting a second postmortem does not amount to raising a finger at anyone; rather, it is intended to bolster the confidence of every common person in the entire process, right from the investigation onwards,” the court recorded Mehta as submitting.

The Solicitor General further stated that he neither doubted “the correctness of the report or the competence of the concerned doctor”, but added that “in the best interest of everyone, a second postmortem may be directed”.

A significant portion of the hearing focused on logistical questions surrounding whether Twisha’s body should be transported to Delhi or whether a specialist forensic team should instead travel to Bhopal.

The court recorded that after discussions, the Advocate General informed the Bench that the Madhya Pradesh government was prepared to arrange “all the logistic” support necessary for a team constituted by AIIMS Delhi to travel to Bhopal by special flight and conduct the second postmortem there itself.

Accepting that arrangement, the court directed the Director of AIIMS Delhi to immediately constitute a team of experts who would travel to Bhopal “by special flight arranged by the State Government” to conduct the examination.

“After considering all the grounds, this Court is also of the view that, by directing a second postmortem, neither this Court nor the petitioner has directly or indirectly imputed any wrongful motive or cast any doubt upon the earlier postmortem report or on anyone,” the order states.

At the same time, the court emphasised the extraordinary circumstances of the case. “But death of deceased has taken place within six months of marriage, therefore, second postmortem should be conducted to clear all doubts from any quarter,” the judge observed.

The order contains detailed directions for coordination between AIIMS Delhi and the Madhya Pradesh government. The court directed that once the expert committee is constituted, the director of AIIMS Delhi should immediately send an official email to Additional Chief Secretary Shiv Shekhar Shukla and to the office of the Advocate General so that logistical arrangements could be made without delay.

The court further ordered that the second postmortem report be submitted “in a sealed envelope to the investigating agency”.

Importantly, the court also directed that the entire process be videographed. “Needless to say that with full dignity to the body and as per procedure, a videography shall also be done and record of that videography report shall be a part of the postmortem report,” the order stated.