First arrest in Maharashtra doctor ‘suicide’: Prashant Bankar, son of houseowner, lands in cop net

The doctor, hailing from Beed district and posted at a government hospital, was found hanging in a hotel room in Phaltan of Satara district on Thursday night.

In a suicide note written on her palm, she alleged that sub-inspector Gopal Badane raped her on multiple occasions, while Bankar, a software engineer, mentally harassed her.

“A case was registered against the duo at the Phaltan city police station. One of the accused, Bankar, has been arrested and brought to Phaltan. The investigation is underway,” the official informed PTI.

According to the police, Bankar is the son of the landlord of the house where the doctor resided. She had allegedly called him over the phone and chatted with him before ending her life, they said.

According to the police, sub-inspector Badane was suspended from service after his name came up during the probe, the report stated.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, said, “I just spoke with the Superintendent of Police of that district, and it’s a very unfortunate incident. One police officer was involved, and one has already been arrested. An FIR has been registered. I have instructed the SP that anyone found involved must not be spared. Strict action will be taken, and the process is already underway.”

VIDEO | Delhi: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, on the Satara doctor rape case, says, “I just spoke with the Superintendent of Police of that district, and it’s a very unfortunate incident. One police officer was involved, and one has already been arrested. An FIR… pic.twitter.com/UTBP8soUN4

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 25, 2025

Satara Additional SP Vaishali Kaduskar too expressed her anguish over the incident. She said, “If action had been taken on the complaint of that woman doctor on time… or if she had told someone about the atrocities being committed against her, then perhaps her life could have been saved today.

“As a female police officer, I anguished and pained over this incident,” Kaduskar added.