“Won’t rest until justice is served”: Fadnavis on woman doctor’s suicide

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday promised he will not rest until justice is delivered in the case of a woman doctor who allegedly died by suicide in Satara district.

The doctor, from Beed district in Marathwada and posted at a government hospital in Satara, was found hanging in a hotel room in Phaltan on Thursday night. In a note written on her palm, she alleged that police sub-inspector Gopal Badane raped her multiple times, while software engineer Prashant Bankar mentally harassed her. Both have been arrested.

Speaking after inaugurating development works in Phaltan, Fadnavis said, “An attempt was made that I don’t come for this programme. Former MP Ranjitsinh Naik Nimbalkar and local MLA Sachin Patil’s names were linked to the case. If I had an iota of doubt, I would have cancelled my visit.” He condemned attempts to politicise the tragedy and reiterated that justice would be ensured for the victim, whom he referred to as his “younger sister.”

Relatives said the doctor had repeatedly reported harassment, and at her workplace, she was allegedly pressured to alter medical reports. While some political figures’ names were mentioned in discussions around the case, no formal charges have been filed against them.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi described the suicide as an “institutionalised murder,” alleging it exposed the “inhuman and insensitive” nature of the BJP-led government.

Fadnavis’ visit to Satara has drawn sharp criticism. Observers noted that this was the very land where a young doctor lost her life, tortured until she lost the will to live. Her grieving family still waits, eyes filled with tears and hearts clinging to the last thread of justice, yet the Chief Minister was being greeted with flowers and applause as if returning from a victorious campaign. Many saw the display as a stark contrast to the family’s suffering, describing it as a moment of shameless hypocrisy rather than leadership. The visit, intended to showcase development, inadvertently highlighted the need for safety, dignity, and fair justice for doctors.

The case underscores a deeper concern: one of the accused is a police officer, sworn to protect citizens, yet facing serious allegations of sexual harassment. With the victim deceased, justice must be delivered posthumously by the very system that failed her. While the CM promises accountability, the situation raises fundamental questions about the impartiality of law enforcement and the systemic trust deficit in cases involving harassment and assault.