A 29-year-old doctor in Maharashtra was found deceased in her hotel room in Phaltan, leading to the arrest of two suspects: Prashant Bankar, a software engineer, and Gopal Badane, a police sub-inspector.
The doctor’s suicide note contains serious allegations against Sub-Inspector Gopal Badane, accusing him of sexual assault and rape. Badane surrendered to the Phaltan Rural Police on Saturday night and was subsequently taken into custody.
Who is Gopal Badane?
Gopal Badane, a sub-inspector with the Phaltan City police, is a key figure in the ongoing investigation. The deceased doctor had previously filed multiple complaints naming several police officers, including Badane, detailing alleged coercion and misconduct.
According to the doctor’s family, she had reported being pressured by Satara police and a Member of Parliament to falsify medical records and autopsy reports. She claimed these falsified reports would enable the police to secure suspect custody without due process.
Allegations of Threat and Assault
The doctor’s complaint detailed an incident where Gopal Badane allegedly entered the emergency ward and threatened her while she was on duty. Despite her complaints to senior doctors and hospital officials, these concerns were reportedly ignored.
A detailed four-page statement submitted to the committee investigating harassment charges against the accused elaborated on the alleged sexual assault. The suicide note explicitly accused Badane of sexual assault and stated that he had raped her four times.
Further Details Emerge
The sister of Prashant Bankar stated that the doctor had been close to Bankar for several months and had proposed marriage, which he declined. Police suggest that after this fallout, Bankar’s father allegedly involved Badane, who was acquainted with them, to intervene.
Countering the deceased doctor’s claims, police officials have alleged that she was not cooperative in issuing fitness certificates for the accused. They claim she deliberately issued “not fit” certificates, which consequently led to delays in arrests.
(with inputs from Shrinivas Deshpande)