Mumbai/Satara: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday assured that all individuals involved in the alleged abetment of the suicide of a woman doctor in Satara will face strict action. Speaking to reporters in Dadar, he described the doctor’s final note, written on her palm, as a reflection of the immense trauma she endured.
Fadnavis said, “We suspended the officer involved yesterday. An investigation has been initiated. Even if someone is involved directly or indirectly, they won’t be spared.” He also accused the Opposition of politicising the tragedy.
Arrests and Investigation:
A major development occurred when Satara Police arrested Prashant Bankar, a medical officer at Phaltan Sub-District Hospital and one of the two individuals named by the victim. Bankar, also a software engineer, was accused of mental harassment. The second accused, Sub-Inspector Gopal Badne, who the doctor allegedly accused of repeated sexual assault, remains at large.
The police reported that the doctor had checked into a hotel on Wednesday night, as her official quarters were far from the hospital, and was found unresponsive the following evening, prompting the investigation.
Satara Additional SP Vaishali Kaduskar acknowledged procedural lapses, stating, “If timely action had been taken on her complaints, perhaps her life could have been saved.”
Family Allegations of Political Pressure:
The victim’s cousin alleged that the doctor had been under pressure for nearly a year from police and politically connected individuals to manipulate post-mortem reports and issue favoured medical fitness certificates. “She was under tremendous pressure,” he said.
Political Reactions:
The case has become a political flashpoint in Maharashtra. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut remarked, “Maharashtra was once the safest for women. What has happened now?”
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve cited documents the victim submitted to police in June and August, calling it a case marked by intense political pressure. Former Congress minister Yashomati Thakur demanded accountability, saying, “If you cannot protect Maharashtra, step down.”
Maharashtra Deputy CM Assures Action In Doctor’s Satara Suicide Case, Arrest Made
