The Supreme Court has stayed further proceedings in the trial of the Twisha Sharma death case before a Bhopal court until further orders, while hearing a petition filed by her father, Navnidhi Sharma, seeking transfer of the case to New Delhi. The court has given the respondents time to file their replies to the transfer petition. The stay relates to the trial proceedings and does not specifically bar hearings on bail applications, according to lawyers involved in the case. Transfer plea seeks fair trial: Navnidhi Sharma has approached the Supreme Court seeking transfer of the trial from Bhopal to a competent court in Delhi, citing the need for a fair and independent hearing. Advocate Ankur Pandey, representing him, said that the Supreme Court heard the petition on Friday and stayed the proceedings before the Bhopal trial court until further orders.

 

The trial court was informed about the Supreme Court proceedings during Friday’s hearing. Lawyers said that the judge decided to examine the apex court’s order before proceeding with the pending bail application. Giribala Singh bail hearing on October 26: The bail plea of retired judge Giribala Singh, an accused in the case, was scheduled for arguments on Friday but was adjourned to October 26 at 10.30 am. Senior advocate Surendra Singh, representing Giribala Singh, said that the trial court wanted to examine the Supreme Court’s order before taking up the bail plea. He said that the apex court’s stay on the trial did not specifically prohibit hearings on bail applications. Advocate Piyush Tiwari, representing Navnidhi Sharma, confirmed that the Supreme Court had issued notices to the respondents and stayed the pending trial proceedings in Bhopal.