Rape, standoff with local police and more: 6 big revelations in Maharashtra doctor suicide case

Phaltan City police station sub-inspector Gopal Badane, accused of raping the 29-year-old deceased doctor, has also been arrested by the police.

Claims, counter-claims, a prolonged standoff with local police, a 'relationship' with the accused, and rape by a 'relative'. The suicide case of a 29-year-old woman doctor in Maharashtra's Satara is riddled with shocking revelations.

The deceased doctor alleged that Prashant Bankar (L) had physically and mentally harassed for five months, while sub-inspector Gopal Badane had raped her four times.

The doctor, posted as a medical officer in a government hospital in Satara's Phaltan area on a contractual basis, was found hanging inside a hotel room in the town on Thursday night.

She left behind a note on her palm, written in Marathi, alleging that Phaltan City police station sub-inspector, Gopal Badane, had raped her four times, and her landlord's son, Prashant Bankar, physically and mentally harassed her for five months, HT reported earlier.

Both the accused, Prashant Bankar and Gopal Badane, have been arrested.

Maharashtra doctor suicide: 6 Key Details

• Doctor was 'in relationship' with accused: Investigations into the death by suicide case of the Satara doctor have revealed that she was in a relationship with one of the accused, Prashant Bankar, a software engineer and the son of her landlord, months before her death. The two were close for several months before their relationship turned sour in recent weeks, resulting in tensions between them, a senior officer involved in the probe said. Bankar's sister has claimed that the deceased and her brother came closer again in the last month when Prashant was suffering from dengue. She claimed that the doctor made several calls to Bankar a day before her death, adding that screenshots of their calls and messages have been handed over to the police.
• Doctor proposed marriage to Bankar: A senior police officer revealed that chats and call records between Prashant Bankar and the deceased show that the doctor was very possessive. After Bankar started distancing himself, the two frequently argued. Since January this year, the duo had exchanged more than 150 calls, HT reported. Bankar's father had even sought the help of sub-inspector Gopal Badane, the second accused in the case, after his son started avoiding the deceased. Bankar's sister further alleged that the doctor proposed marriage to her after he returned to Pune following his visit to Phaltan in October. He had refused the doctor's marriage proposal, saying he did not have such feelings and saw her as an elder sister. He claimed that she mentioned Prashant's name in the suicide note out of spite for his refusal. Bankar's brother, Sushant, also denied the harassment allegations and claimed that the doctor was emotionally disturbed in recent weeks. He also questioned how the doctor celebrated Diwali with his family if his brother had harassed her. Sushant also claimed that Prashant told him that the doctor had threatened to end her life.
• Raped four times by cop: The 29-year-old. who died by suicide, alleged in the note on her palm that she was raped four times by Phaltan City police station sub-inspector, Gopal Badane, HT reported earlier. An officer investigating the case reportedly revealed that the deceased and Badane hailed from Beed and were relatives. Gopal Badane was also arrested hours after police nabbed the accused, Prashant Bankar, from a farmhouse near Pune on Friday. She had previously filed a complaint against three cops earlier this year, including Badane.
• Multiple complaints against police officers: Investigation into the doctor's death has revealed that she had written to senior officers alleging pressure from police officials and political interference, claiming that they repeatedly forced her to issue fitness certificates for accused brought to the hospital. She had said that no action was taken in the matter. And as the Phaltan police submitted a counter-claim to her complaint, she wrote a four-page statement to a two-member committee appointed by Satara Civil Surgeon to conduct an inquiry into the allegations against her. She said that the personal assistant (PA) of a Member of Parliament (MP) had called her and alleged that she was favouring the accused because she hailed from Beed. The doctor mentioned another incident when two PAs of the MP arrived at the hospital and made her speak to the MP on call, who allegedly scolded her for not "issuing certificates as desired by the police". She also alleged that the accused cop, Gopal Badane, once entered the emergency ward, sat on a chair, and threatened her, while her complaints went unheard.
• Police counter-claims doctor: In counter to the deceased doctor's complaints against police officials, cops had alleged that she did not cooperate in issuing fitness certificates for the accused brought to the Satara hospital. The Phaltan Police Station officials backed their complaint with station diary entries and related documents, accusing her of deliberately issuing "not fit" certificates for accused persons, which resulted in delayed arrests and interrogations. A senior Satara police officer also said that the doctor was "reluctant to conduct pre-arrest medical examinations at night" and frequently declared accused persons unfit "without sufficient grounds", forcing the police to deploy security personnel at the hospital. Police affirmed that the doctor should have been available 24x7 to carry out medical formalities and issue fitness certificates, adding that her refusal forced them to approach the health department and seek her replacement. Dr Yuvraj Karpe, civil surgeon of Satara, said the deceased doctor was reminded that medical officers must be available at all times, adding that her behaviour drastically changed thereafter.
• Doctor's 'big warning': After police submitted their complaint against the deceased doctor to the Satara Civil Surgeon, a two-member committee was appointed to conduct an inquiry into the matter. In her four-page, detailed written statement to the committee in August 2025, she reiterated her charges against the police. She said that her complaints to senior doctors, including the medical superintendent of Satara district, Dr Anshuman Dhumal, in connection with the alleged threats and harassment by cops, went unheeded. The deceased doctor wrote that she was being targeted due to her Beed connection, warning that "if anything happens to me, the police will be responsible", HT reported. Dhumal denied the allegations on his part and said they haven't received any formal complaint from the doctor accusing police officials of harassing her. He added that she only put the matter before the probe committee and was later instructed on the basis of the report.

(with inputs from Shrinivas Deshpande)