Maharashtra Doctor Suicide Case: Opposition Demands SIT Led by Retired Judge Amid Growing Protests

The Maharashtra doctor who committed suicide last month had written a note on her palm before her death.

Mumbai:

Calls for a Special Investigation Team led by a retired High Court judge are intensifying in the case of a female doctor's suicide in Satara's Phaltan. Opposition parties, medical associations, and activists are united in demanding an independent and transparent investigation without political influence.

The doctor took her own life last month, leaving a suicide note written on her palm that accused sub-inspector Gopal Badane of sexual assault and a technician named Prashant Bankar of psychological harassment. She also referenced a former MP in a separate four-page suicide letter.

In response to her death, Maharashtra Police has established a Special Investigation Team under Tejaswi Satpute, Commandant of the State Reserve Police Force in Pune. Satpute has been instructed to assume leadership, visit Satara, collect information from the Superintendent of Police, and complete the investigation within a specific timeframe.

However, numerous political leaders have raised concerns about the SIT's independence, as it operates under Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' Home Department.

The Congress party is insisting that a retired High Court judge oversee the investigation to ensure fairness. They have also called for the immediate arrest of MP Ranjit Naik Nimbalkar, citing the victim's family's statements and her suicide letter. The party has accused Fadnavis of prematurely declaring innocence before the case reached court and announced plans for a demonstration at his residence on November 10.

NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule has also voiced support for an SIT headed by a retired judge.

"Justice must be served for the girl from Maharashtra. This case should proceed without political pressure. Wrong is wrong. Those responsible must face consequences," she stated, urging Fadnavis to visit the doctor's family in Beed and refrain from exonerating anyone until the investigation concludes.

The Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena has taken an aggressive stance on this issue. Shiv Sena UBT leader Sushma Andhare has organized a sit-in protest outside Phaltan police station, demanding chargesheets against all six accused and questioning the government's claims about forming an SIT. She has alleged political interference in the case and accused MP Nimbalkar of meddling.

Medical associations have joined the protest movement. The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors is demanding an SIT under a retired judge and senior IPS officer, Rs 5 crore compensation for the victim's family, a fast-track court for expedited justice, and regulated duty hours to prevent exploitation.

Resident doctors have already boycotted outpatient services and warned that all elective services will be suspended if the government fails to address their demands.

The case has ignited a significant political controversy in Maharashtra, with Opposition parties claiming that criminals were targeting the 28-year-old doctor from Beed district in central Maharashtra. She was reportedly pressured to provide falsified medical reports.

In the months before her death, the doctor had reported harassment by Badane and other police officers, but her complaints were not adequately addressed. This negligence has now come under scrutiny. Both Badane and Banker have been arrested.

Chief Minister Fadnavis has accused the Opposition of politicizing the tragedy.

"We remain committed to securing justice for our little sister. However, certain individuals attempt to politicize every situation," he stated.