A court on Thursday extended the police custody by two days of suspended sub-inspector Gopal Badane and software engineer Prashant Bankar, accused in the suicide case of a 29-year-old woman doctor at Phaltan in Satara district.
The Satara police on Thursday produced Badane and Bankar before a court in Phaltan. Police said Badane was not co-operating in the investigation. Also, police said they have recovered Bankar’s laptop. Police are probing its data.
“The court has extended the custody of both accused by two days. Further probe is on,” Satara district SP Tushar Doshi said.
A native of Beed district, the doctor worked as a medical officer at the government-run hospital in Phaltan. She was found dead at a hotel in Phaltan town on the night of October 23.
According to police, they found a suicide note written on the woman’s left palm, which said she was allegedly raped four times by Badane and also mentally and sexually assaulted by Bankar for the last few months.
An FIR was lodged at Phaltan City police station against Badane and Bankar, both of whom have been arrested under BNS sections 108, 64 (2). Subsequently, Badane was suspended from service.
Police are probing the communications between the deceased and the accused over cellphone and social media. Speaking to mediapersons on Monday, Maharashtra State Commission for Women chairperson Rupali Chakankar said the call detail records checked by police showed communication between the deceased and Badane between January and March, but not after that.
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However, a senior police offficer said they are probing social media platforms used by the accused and deceased to communicate. Attempts are on to identify the places where the accused and deceased had been together where she was allegedly raped, the officer said.
Police have also seized Badane’s cellphone given to them by his relative. It has been sent for cyber forensic analysis. Also, police are probing communications between the deceased and Bankar, who worked at a company in Pune. The deceased was residing at a house belonging to Bankar’s father in Phaltan on rent. Police said they are gathering evidence of alleged physical and mental harassment by Bankar.
According to Chakankar, before dying by suicide, the deceased had been at Bankar house on Laxmipujan day during Diwali, when they had a quarrel over clicking of photographs.
“Following heated arguments, the deceased left Bankar’s house and reached a temple. Bankar’s father brought her home by making her understand it was not good to be out in the evening and on a festival day. But she again left home and went to the hotel. Then she messaged Bankar several times… She even messaged that she would die by suicide. Bankar has said something like she had made similar threats even in the past…,” Chakankar told mediapersons.
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The doctor had filed a complaint on June 19 this year with the local sub divisional police officer (SDPO), alleging she was being pressured by the police to give a “fit” certificates to some accused persons brought to her for pre-arrest medical examination. She had named three police officers, including Badane in this complaint.
The police too had complained against the deceased doctor over giving “unfit” certificates to the accused.
As stated by Chakankar, an inquiry committee was set up for looking into the complaints and the case was disposed of on August 23, 2025. “The inquiry committee’s report directed the doctor to speak to the police personnel properly at the workplace or her place of appointment be changed. While she was transferred three times, she urged for posting at the sub-district hospital in Phaltan itself. Accordingly, a special order was issued for her to work here….,” said Chakankar.
According to the police, the doctor’s suicide is completely connected to her alleged sexual assault, rape and mental torture by the accused. Police have not linked the suicide to her earlier complaint.
Ajit Pawar disagrees with Chakankar
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Pune: Opposition party leaders blamed Maharashtra State Commission for Women chairperson Rupali Chakankar for sharing information that allegedly resulted in “character assassination” of the doctor, while speaking to mediapersons in Satara. Also, the doctor’s family told Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar over phone that they did not like Chakankar’s statements. “The women commission is meant for the security of women. Chakankar should have first held a meeting with the victim’s family and then given her statement…,” a family member told Pawar. Responding, Pawar expressed his disagreement with Chakankar’s statement. Pawar said he would speak to Chakankar and ask the reason for her statements. Chakankar is from NCP led by Pawar.
