Satara doctor suicide: Police get accused cop’s phone; to be sent for forensic analysis

An FIR was lodged at Phaltan City police station under Satara police against Badane and Bankar, both of whom have been arrested under BNS sections 108, 64 (2).

Rupali Chakankar at a meeting with Satara SP Tushar Doshi and MLA Sachin Patil in Phaltan on Monday. (Source: X/ @ChakankarSpeaks)

SATARA district police, who are investigating the death of a 29-year-old woman doctor who allegedly died by suicide at Phaltan, have said the phone of suspended Sub-Inspector Gopal Badane, an accused in the case, has been handed over to them by one of his relatives and will now be sent for cyber forensic analysis. Police also said the suicide note left by her on her left palm will be examined by a handwriting expert to confirm it was written by her.

The doctor, working as a medical officer at the government-run hospital in Phaltan, was found dead at a hotel in Phaltan town on October 23 night. According to the police, they found a suicide note written on the woman’s left palm, which said she was allegedly raped four times by Badane and also mentally and sexually assaulted by software engineer Prashant Bankar for the last few months.

An FIR was lodged at Phaltan City police station under Satara police against Badane and Bankar, both of whom have been arrested under BNS sections 108, 64 (2). A native of Beed district, the doctor was staying as a tenant in a house owned by Bankar’s father in Phaltan.

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A senior officer from Satara police said, “Badane’s phone has been handed over to us by his relatives. It will now be sent for cyber forensic analysis.” Asked about the allegations made by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sushma Andhare that the handwriting in the suicide note and the victim’s handwriting elsewhere do not match, the officer said, “The preliminary probe till now points to this being a case of suicide and the note having been written by the deceased herself. Technical evidence, including CCTV footage, shows no one else entering her hotel room. She was right-handed and the note was found on her left hand. Her death has occurred because of asphyxia due to hanging. There are no other injury marks on the body. However, as her suicide note is a piece of evidence and to confirm that it was in fact written by the deceased herself, it will be sent for analysis by a handwriting expert.”

Earlier on Sunday, a court in Satara had remanded Badane in police custody till October 30. A day before, Bankar was remanded in police custody till October 28, which was extended by two days. Both accused have denied the allegations against them. Police said they are probing the phone calls and WhatsApp conversations between the deceased and the accused.

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