India's federal investigative agency has filed charges against the husband and the mother-in-law of a 33-year-old woman found dead just months after her wedding.

Twisha Sharma, a former model and actor, was found dead on 12 May this year in her matrimonial home in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, less than six months after her wedding.

Her family has accused her husband Samarth Singh and mother-in-law, Garibala Singh, of torturing and killing her over dowry demands.

The Singh family has denied all allegations.

Sharma's death reignited a nationwide debate over the prevalence of the practice of dowry, which was outlawed in 1961.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has brought charges of "matrimonial cruelty" and "abetment to suicide" against Sharma's husband and her mother-in-law.

The CBI, in its over 600-page sealed chargesheet submitted to court last week, reported that "due to continuous mental cruelty at the hands of both the accused [Twisha's husband and her mother-in-law], she was left with no option but to end her life".

The CBI cited a series of messages sent by Sharma in the days before her death to members of the family to substantiate her claim.

Minutes before her death, Sharma allegedly sent a WhatsApp message to her sister-in-law and complained about Mr Singh's "very aggressive and violent" behaviour to her father, according to the chargesheet.

The investigative agency, similar to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the US, reported that the couple met in February 2025 on a dating app and got married in December.

The agency alleged that after the wedding, Mr Singh repeatedly subjected Sharma to mental cruelty, using sexually derogatory language to attack her character over past relationships that were disclosed to him. The CBI alleged that Sharma's mother-in-law, a retired judge, instigated or sided with her son when she complained about his behaviour.

According to the chargesheet, the situation worsened in April after Sharma discovered she was pregnant.

The agency alleged that Sharma was uncertain about continuing the "unplanned" pregnancy because of Mr Singh’s abusive behaviour.

Sharma's family alleged that her husband and mother-in-law questioned her character and accused her of carrying someone else's child and forced her to terminate the pregnancy. However, Ms Singh denied the allegations and claimed that Sharma insisted on the abortion.

The agency has also alleged that the Singh family forced their daughter-in-law to transfer her investment of almost Rs2m to a joint bank account, NDTV reported.

Meanwhile, a second court-ordered autopsy concluded that Sharma died by suicide and the medical board did not find any injuries to suggest assault or struggle.

"It is a clear case of suicide and there are no injuries of medico-legal importance suggestive of any physical assault, resistance or struggle on the body of the deceased prior to the death," Sudhir Gupta, the head of the department of forensic medicine at AIIMS hospital in New Delhi, said in his report to the CBI, according to the Times of India.

This was the second autopsy in the case, ordered by a court in Madhya Pradesh after the Sharmas alleged foul play. They requested another autopsy be conducted in the capital Delhi after an initial autopsy in Bhopal.

Inosh George Carlo, the lawyer representing Ms Singh, told the BBC: "The investigation has found no evidence of the earlier allegations of dowry harassment and murder... We have been saying this from the beginning but the media never listened to us."

India recorded 5,737 deaths related to unpaid or insufficient dowry payments in 2024, according to the National Crime Records Bureau data.

Readers in the US can call the domestic violence hotline on 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). For readers in the UK, the national domestic abuse helpline offers support on 0808 2000 247, or you can visit the Refuge website. There is a dedicated men's advice line on 0808 8010 327. Other international helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org.

If you are based in the U.S. and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). This is a free, confidential crisis hotline available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can also speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.