Police Sub-Inspector Gopal Badane, the prime accused in the rape and harassment case that drove a 26-year-old woman doctor to suicide in Phaltan, Satara district, surrendered late Saturday night at Phaltan rural police station. The suspended officer, who had evaded capture for 36 hours with his last known location in Pandharpur, Solapur, will appear in court on Sunday.

Earlier the same day, authorities arrested the second accused, software engineer Prashant Bankar, from a friend’s farmhouse in Satara. The Phaltan court remanded him to police custody until October 28. Badane was on night duty at Phaltan police station when the allegations surfaced, prompting public fury and accusations that colleagues shielded him during his flight.

The doctor died by suicide after scrawling a seven-line note on her palm, accusing Badane of raping her four times and subjecting her to four months of mental torture alongside Bankar, her landlord’s son. She further claimed powerful figures, including a local Lok Sabha MP and aides, coerced her into falsifying postmortem reports and issuing fraudulent medical fitness certificates. Refusal intensified the harassment, she wrote.

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Satara Police formed two special teams following widespread outrage. One detained Bankar, while the other tracked Badane. The victim had previously lodged complaints with the Superintendent of Police and Deputy Superintendent of Police, detailing repeated summons to alter medical documents, but no action followed.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis described the incident as deeply painful and shameful, vowing strict punishment for all involved. He urged opposition parties to refrain from politicizing the tragedy and respect public sentiment.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Ambadas Danve shared the doctor’s earlier complaint letter on social media platform X, highlighting systemic failure. The document revealed ignored pleas about harassment and pressure to manipulate reports. Danve demanded scrutiny of call records involving the doctor, the MP, and a BJP MLA, alleging political interference. He criticized the government’s focus on schemes like Ladli Bahin while failing to ensure women’s safety.

Bankar’s family rejected the allegations, insisting he was framed and expressing confidence in a fair investigation. Local medical associations announced protests demanding justice and enhanced protection for healthcare workers. Women’s rights groups called for an independent probe into police complicity and political pressure on public servants.

The case has ignited statewide debates on institutional safeguards for whistleblowers in the medical and law enforcement sectors. Forensic teams are examining the suicide note, digital devices, and call data logs to corroborate claims of extortion and abuse of authority.

As Phaltan mourns, the arrests mark the beginning of what promises to be a high-profile trial exposing entrenched networks of power and impunity in rural Maharashtra.

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