The woman doctor who died by suicide in Maharashtra’s Satara district after accusing a police officer of repeated rape and harassment was allegedly pressured to falsify medical reports — not only by police personnel but also by a Member of Parliament (MP).
According to relatives, the doctor frequently faced pressure from police to alter post-mortem findings in unnatural death cases and to modify medical reports for arrested individuals brought for examination.
It has now emerged that the doctor, posted as a medical officer at the Phaltan government hospital, was targeted for declaring certain accused “unfit” during mandatory medical checks.
The India Today quoted sources saying that on three or four occasions, the police had complained to the District Medical Council, which later sought an explanation from her.
In her four-page written response, accessed by the publication, the doctor detailed an incident where she allegedly received a call from an MP’s office demanding she change a medical report. Though she did not name the MP, she wrote that two aides of the politician threatened her at the hospital after she refused to comply.
“Two personal assistants of the MP came to the hospital and abused me. They said, ‘The MP is angry,’ and pressured me to release the accused immediately,” she wrote.
“When I insisted on following procedure, they threatened me, saying, ‘Dekh lenge (We will deal with you).’”
She explained that the accused’s health was critical, and she admitted him following medical protocol. “The police officers’ accusations against me of deliberately not releasing the accused are baseless,” her reply stated.
Family Alleges Harassment by Police and Seniors
A relative of the deceased said the doctor had long complained of pressure to falsify post-mortem and fitness reports.
“There was a lot of police and political pressure on her to make wrong post-mortem reports. She tried to complain about it. My sister should get justice,” the cousin said.
Her aunt said that the doctor had mentioned harassment by seniors just two days before her death.
She had earlier reported the issue to a senior police officer in June, but no action was taken, her family alleged.
The 28-year-old doctor from Beed district was found hanging inside a Phaltan hotel room on Thursday night.
A note written on her palm accused Sub-Inspector Gopal Badane of raping her four times over five months and another man, software engineer Prashant Bankar, of mental harassment.
The note read: “Badane raped me four times. He subjected me to rape, mental and physical abuse for more than five months.”
Police Action and Ongoing Investigation
Following her death, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis intervened, leading to the suspension of Sub-Inspector Badane.
A case has been registered against Badane and Bankar for rape and abetment to suicide under relevant IPC sections.
Police confirmed that Bankar has been arrested and will be produced in court, while Badane remains absconding.
“The doctor’s body has been sent for post-mortem. We are investigating all allegations mentioned in the note on her palm,” said an official from the Satara Police.
