Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], May 22 : As the Madhya Pradesh government gave its nod to CBI investigation in Twisha Sharma death case, brother of the victim Major Harshit Sharma, on Friday termed it as a "first step towards fair investigation" into the matter.
He described the development as a "small victory" for the family, while stressing that the legal fight for justice is continuing.
"This is the first step towards a fair investigation which we have been seeking. This is an important development. Let's hope the Home Ministry gets involved a little earlier and a decision is taken as soon as possible...From the beginning, we were fighting for a fair investigation and justice. This is a fight of all of us - Twisha's friends, people who were connected to her, all of us...So, it is a win for all of us. It is a small victory but the battle is still ongoing," said Major Harshit Sharma.
He also criticised Twisha's mother-in-law, Giribala Singh, alleging that she was misusing legal provisions.
"She (Twisha's mother-in-law Giribala Singh) has turned this into a mockery by stating that she is exploiting her legal rights. She has gone on record to say this. Is this legal right enjoyed by everyone? Even by those on whom she passed judgemnt and whose bail pleas she rejected? Will she expect that she will be declared an absconder by the court? When it has been said that the bail has been rejected and she has to appear before them, she herself is justifying this as a judge," said Major Sharma.
Major Sharma further revealed that the family's request for a second post-mortem had been accepted and that a medical team from AIIMS Delhi would travel to AIIMS Bhopal for the procedure.
"We have received an update that our request for the second post-mortem has been accepted. A team from AIIMS Delhi is going to come to AIIMS Bhopal...If he (Twisha's husband, Samarth Singh) has nothing to hide, he should have surrendered earlier. He knows that the whole country is with us; he has come under pressure from the support... They have realised that there is no point in hiding," said Major Sharma.
Earlier in the day, the Madhya Pradesh High Court issued a notice to mother in law of late Twisha Sharma, while listening to petitions challenging her anticipatory bail granted to her by the lower court, counsel of the victim's family said.
According to Advocate Ankur Pandey, who is the counsel of Twisha Sharma's family, said that the notice was issued while the court was hearing two petitions filed by the Madhya Pradesh government and Twisha Sharma's father, following which the next into the matter would be conducted on May 25.
"In this matter, a total of four petitions were filed in the High Court. One petition was filed by the government, challenging the bail granted to Giribala Singh by the lower sessions court. Following that, the victim's father also filed a petition challenging the bail granted to Giribala Singh by the lower sessions court. Hearing both of these petitions today, the High Court has issued a notice and scheduled the next hearing for the 25th. This hearing will involve arguments regarding why her (the victim's mother-in-law's) bail should not be cancelled, focusing on the points of challenge and the legal deficiencies involved; all of this will be heard on the 25th," Ankur Pandey told ANI.