In Doctor Suicide Case, Father's Death Penalty Appeal To Devendra Fadnavis

The father of the 26-year-old doctor who died by suicide in Maharashtra's Satara has sought the death penalty for the culprits responsible for her daughter's death. The doctor, posted as a medical officer at a government hospital in Phaltan, was found hanging on Thursday night. In a suicide note written on her palm, she accused a police officer of sexual assault and a techie of mental harassment.

Making a direct plea for justice to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, he said, "My only demand is that the culprits should be punished with death by hanging. That's all. There is nothing else. This is my demand."

"This happened to my daughter. But at least from now on, such atrocities should not happen to other daughters. So, the people who do this should definitely be punished with the death penalty," he added.

In the note, she accused police sub-inspector Gopal Badane of allegedly raping her on multiple occasions, and software engineer Prashant Bankar of mentally harassing her for over five months. The woman lived as a tenant in a flat owned by Bankar's father.

"Not A Single Krishna Came Forward To Save Her"

Citing characters from the epic Mahabharata, the father of the doctor said, "While the injustice was happening, everyone just stood and watched. There were Duryodhana and Dushasana there, but not a single Krishna came forward to help my daughter. So, for the sake of the daughters in the future, at least one Krishna should come forward and protect her honour."

He was referring to an episode in the epic when Yudhishthira lost everything, including his kingdom, his brothers, and even his wife, Draupadi, to a game of dice to the Kauravas. Then Kaurava prince Dushasana, a key antagonist in the Mahabharata, attempted to strip Draupadi of her sari. She pleaded with everyone in the assembly for help, but when everyone remained silent, she prayed to Krishna. He intervened and provided her with an endless supply of cloth, rendering Dushasana's efforts futile.

The victim's brother has also demanded the strictest possible punishment for the accused.

"Culprits Won't Be Spared"

Devendra Fadnavis has assured that anyone involved directly or indirectly in the case "won't be spared".

"The doctor dying by suicide and writing such a letter on her hand shows the pain she went through. Yesterday, we suspended the officer involved. We have initiated an investigation, and no one will be spared. The Opposition is politicising it. Even if someone is involved directly or indirectly, they won't be spared," he said.

Yesterday, one of her relatives claimed that she had complained multiple times to the relevant authorities about the harassment that she was facing, but her grievances were not addressed.

"She had raised complaints on two to three occasions. Despite writing a letter to the Superintendent of Police (SP) and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), no action was taken," he told NDTV on Friday.

The 4-Page Suicide Note

Also, in a four-page suicide letter, the doctor alleged that she was pressured by police officials and even by a Member of Parliament (MP) and his aides to issue fake fitness certificates of the accused in criminal cases and was harassed when she refused. She mentioned one such incident when the MP spoke to her and indirectly threatened her when she refused to issue a certificate.

Meanwhile, NDTV has found that the doctor had faced allegations of hindering investigations in the past. The police had forwarded a complaint against her to the district surgeon last month, detailing her "troublesome" and "uncooperative" behaviour.

In the complaint, dated September 22, the police alleged that the doctor hindered the medical check-up of the accused in serious crimes and claimed that suspects could escape the law due to her behaviour.

In her letter, the doctor had alleged that she was pressured into issuing fake fitness certificates for the accused, many of whom would not even be brought in for a medical examination. She would be harassed by Badne and others if she dared to refuse, she claimed in the letter.

Prashant Bankar was arrested this morning from Pune, around 125 km from Satara. Bankar, who is facing an abetment of suicide charge, was later produced before a Satara district court, which sent him to police custody for four days.

Sub-inspector Badane was arrested on Saturday evening. He was suspended from service after his name came up during the probe.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve hit out at Fadnavis, who also holds the home portfolio, over the doctor's suicide and the name of a police officer cropping up in the case.

"There is a need for women's security more than that of 'Ladki Bahin' (a financial scheme for women from low-income families). If people who flourished under the wings of Fadnavis are harassing women in such a manner, then Fadnavis has failed as the Home Minister and should resign," Danve wrote on X.