NEW DELHI: A new twist has emerged in the alleged suicide of a 28-year-old doctor in Satara, Maharashtra, with reports that a MP had previously accused her over the phone of refusing to issue a fitness certificate to an arrested person, according to news agency PTI.According to PTI, the certificate would have enabled police to take the individual into custody and the doctor was reportedly targeted because she hailed from Beed district.The doctor, posted at the Phaltan subdistrict hospital, was found hanging in a hotel room on Thursday evening.
She had reportedly checked into the hotel near the hospital late Wednesday night, as her rented residence was far away. Hotel staff found her body after she did not respond to knocks on her door.Also read: Maharashtra doctor suicide case: Pune techie Prashant Bankar arrestedA Note On PalmIn a note written on her palm, she accused sub-inspector Gopal Badane of repeated sexual assault and software engineer Prashant Bankar, the son of her landlord, of mental harassment. A case of abetment of suicide has been registered against both.According to a statement she allegedly submitted to an internal inquiry committee, the doctor faced ongoing intimidation and harassment from police officials. She claimed she was pressured to alter post-mortem and medical reports and was taunted over crimes reported in her home district of Beed.One incident reportedly involved police trying to force her to declare a high-blood-pressure patient fit for custody, taking the woman away without treatment. Despite submitting a written complaint to the Deputy Superintendent of Police in June, no action was reportedly taken.Satara police said the doctor and Bankar had been in a relationship for five months, which later turned sour. Police also said her interactions with the sub-inspector were linked to her hospital duties, as she often handled medical examinations for suspects in custody. The sub-inspector is currently absconding. “We have suspended him and formed a special team to trace and arrest him and the other suspect,” said Inspector General Sunil Phulari.Political leaders have demanded a swift and independent probe. NCP leader Dhananjay Munde called for a special investigation team (SIT) and a fast-track trial, saying that ignoring her complaints due to her Beed origin would be a grave injustice. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve also demanded that officials from outside Satara conduct the inquiry, calling the suicide “a case where protectors turned predators.”The doctor’s relatives said she had repeatedly complained about police harassment and pressure to alter reports. Activist Nitin Andhale shared her purported statement online, highlighting the extent of alleged inaction and intimidation that may have contributed to her death.Satara superintendent of police Tushar Doshi confirmed that the doctor’s complaints and evidence such as WhatsApp messages formed the basis for filing FIRs under sections 64 (rape) and 108 (abetment of suicide) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. An inquiry panel is being set up by the civil surgeon to determine if hospital superiors acted on her complaints.Civil surgeon Yuvraj Karape said the doctor had joined the hospital on contract and was nearing the end of her second 11-month term. She often stayed in the hotel after late-night duties, and authorities are examining all her complaints regarding police interference in post-mortems and other hospital work.(With inputs from PTI)
