Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the Maharashtra government, asserting that women’s safety in the state is in “complete crisis” following the alleged rape and suicide of a 26-year-old woman doctor in Satara. The doctor’s four-page suicide letter has reportedly uncovered shocking details of sexual exploitation and systemic corruption, implicating a police officer and a sitting Member of Parliament.
Raut, in a strongly worded statement, criticized the ruling dispensation, contrasting the state’s current situation with its past reputation for women’s safety. “Maharashtra was once considered the safest state for women,” he said. “If this incident had occurred in West Bengal, Kerala, Karnataka or Himachal Pradesh, the BJP would have raised an uproar throughout the country, claiming that a grave crisis had befallen women. A woman doctor in Satara was driven to suicide and yet this government and its Home Ministry are completely insensitive to women’s issues.”
Suicide Note Reveals Chilling Nexus of Abuse and Corruption
The young doctor, who worked at the Phaltan sub-district hospital, detailed a harrowing ordeal in her letter, specifically accusing Sub-Inspector Gopal Badne of raping her four times over a five-month period.
Further exposing a disturbing nexus of power, the letter alleges that SI Badne and other police officials repeatedly pressured her to issue fake fitness certificates for criminal accused, many of whom were never medically examined.
In a particularly alarming revelation, the doctor stated that two personal assistants of an unnamed Member of Parliament barged into her hospital, forced her to speak to the MP over the phone, and threatened her job and safety when she refused to comply with their demands. “They used to make me sign certificates without seeing the accused,” the letter reportedly stated.
Complaints Ignored, Action Follows Death
The victim, who was nearing the end of her mandatory rural bond service, had reportedly lodged multiple complaints with senior police officials, including the Superintendent and Deputy Superintendent of Police. However, her family claims that her pleas for action against the perpetrators were ignored.
Following her death, Satara police have registered a case against SI Badne and her landlord, Prashant Bankar, under charges of rape and abetment to suicide. Inspector General of Police (Kolhapur Range) Sunil Phulari confirmed that SI Badne has since been suspended.
The incident has immediately ignited a major political row. Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar accused the BJP-led government of “shielding errant officers,” while BJP leader Chitra Wagh termed the incident “deeply unfortunate” and assured that a thorough probe is underway.