‘No autopsy till 6 am’: Twists and turns surround Maharashtra doctor's suicide case

The deceased doctor's cousin also alleged that there might be another suicide note, saying that the victim documented her distress and complaints in writing.

The death of a 29-year-old doctor in Maharashtra's Satara is riddled with twists and turns as allegations and counterclaims continue surfacing from both sides of the case. Her cousin has alleged procedural lapses in the autopsy and transfer of the doctor's mortal remains.

Police have arrested sub-inspector Gopal Badane and Prashant Bankar, both named in the doctor's suicide note. (PTI/representative )

The doctor, working as a medical officer in a government hospital in Phaltan, was found hanging inside a hotel room in the town last week.

A suicide note was found written in Marathi on her palm, where she alleged 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.

The deceased doctor's cousin told news agency ANI that "no one was there to perform her postmortem till 6 am" when she died. "They brought her dead body from her residence to the hospital in our absence. All this should have happened in front of the family members," the cousin added.

The cousin further claimed that the family suspects the existence of another suicide note, alleging that the deceased had been keeping notes of her distress and complaints in writing.

"We believe that when her dead body was taken to the hospital, she must have left behind another suicide note. She fought hard and wrote 4-page complaint letters. She cannot die with just a little note on her palm," the cousin reportedly said.

The victim's family has demanded a special investigation team (SIT) probe, in the presence of a woman officer from outside the state, into the death of the doctor, alleging that "state police officers can try to influence the investigation".

Satara Police have arrested both the alleged accused, sub-inspector Gopal Badane and Prashant Bankar, in connection with the case. Earlier on Sunday, Badane was produced before the Additional District and Sessions Court in Phaltan and set to police custody till October 30.

While the deceased doctor's family has alleged that she was forced to falsify postmortem reports and issue fitness certificates to the accused brought to the hospital, police have countered the claim by saying that she did not cooperate with them in these procedures.

Police officials alleged that she was "reluctant to conduct pre-arrest medical examinations at night" and did not cooperate in issuing fitness certificates for the accused brought to the hospital. They added that the doctor often declared accused persons unfit "without sufficient grounds" and also refused to be available 24x7 for medical formalities.

Police investigations earlier also said that the deceased and accused Prashant Bankar had been in a relationship months before her death. However, their relationship had turned sour in recent weeks.

Bankar's sister, meanwhile, alleged that the doctor had proposed marriage to Prashant after they again grew closer in the last month when he was suffering from dengue. But when Prashant refused, the doctor repeatedly called and messaged him, she alleged. His sister claimed that the deceased doctor mentioned Prashant's name in her suicide note out of spite for his refusal.