Maha CM Orders SIT Probe Into Satara Woman Doctor's 'Suicide' As Suspense Deepens
Amid growing suspense over a doctor's mysterious death in Phaltan, CM Devendra Fadnavis has ordered SIT investigation, promising fair inquiry and swift justice.
Published : November 1, 2025 at 11:03 AM IST
Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has directed the Director General of Police (DGP) to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged suicide of a woman doctor from Beed district. She was found hanging in a hotel room in Phaltan, Satara, on October 23, under mysterious circumstances.
The deceased doctor had purportedly written on her palm, accusing Police Sub-Inspector Gopal Badne of raping her multiple times and further alleged that Prashant Bankar, a software engineer, mentally harassed her. Both have been arrested while Badne has been placed under suspension.
According to officials, the SIT will be led by a woman IPS officer due to the sensitivity of the case. The officer will be chosen after consulting the victim's family. The development comes amid demands from citizens, medical associations and political parties for an independent and impartial probe.
The victim's family had earlier alleged that she had faced immense political and police pressure for over a year and was forced by hospital superiors and police officials to falsify postmortem and fitness reports, which added to her distress.
In her note, the doctor also claimed she was subjected to harassment by individuals linked to former BJP MP Ranjeetsinh Naik Nimbalkar.
When Opposition parties demanded action against the MP, Fadnavis, during his visit to Satara and Solapur on October 26, stated that Nimbalkar did not have a direct role in the matter. This drew criticism from Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal, who questioned how conclusions were being drawn before the investigation was completed.
The case has sparked widespread concern among medical professionals, who have called for stronger safeguards to protect doctors from administrative and political pressure. Satara Police have arrested Badne and Bankar, and produced them before the Additional District and Sessions Court in Phaltan.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the court remanded them to five days of police custody to allow a detailed investigation, including whether the accused were connected to their actions.
BJP State Women's Wing President and MLA Chitra Wagh said, "To ensure justice for the doctor in the Phaltan case, our Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis promptly ordered the formation of an SIT. I sincerely thank him for this. I was confident from the beginning that justice would be served. The SIT will speed up the investigation and the criminals will be punished soon."
Fadnavis, who holds the Home portfolio, stated that stringent action would be taken against those found responsible. He also requested not to politicise the matter during the ongoing investigation.
Also Read:
