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Maharashtra doctor suicide: Fadnavis gives clean chit to Nimbalkar, Sachin Patil amidst controversy, vows justice for victim

The 29-year-old doctor from Beed was found dead in a hotel, leaving a suicide note accusing police sub-inspector Gopal Badane of rape

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis | PTI

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis dismissed reports of the alleged involvement of a few Bharatiya Janata Party leaders in the tragic Satara woman doctor suicide case. Fadnavis vowed he would not rest until justice was served to the victim.

Addressing an event in Satara on Sunday, the chief minister denied the involvement of former MP Ranjitsinh Naik Nimbalkar and local MLA Sachin Patil in the alleged suicide of a 29-year-old woman doctor from Satara. Targeting the Opposition, Fadnavis said a few are trying to politicise the issue and added he would not tolerate such attempts. 

Addressing an event in  Phaltan, Satara, after inaugurating various development projects, 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 myself would have cancelled my visit." 

The 29-year-old government doctor from Beed was found hanging in a hotel room in Phaltan town on Thursday. In her suicide note written on her palm, she accused officials of pressuring her to certify false postmortem reports. She also alleged police sub-inspector Gopal Badane raped her on multiple occasions, while Prashant Bankar, a software engineer, mentally harassed her. Maharashtra police have arrested both the accused.

Saying he would not like to politicise the issue, Fadnavis stressed he would rest until justice is served for the doctor, whom he addressed as "younger sister". "I will not rest till justice is delivered," he said.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday lashed out at the BJP-led government in the state and termed the doctor's suicide as "institutionalised murder". The doctor's death exposes the "inhuman and insensitive nature of the BJP-led government," Gandhi alleged.

Earlier, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve had accused former BJP MP Ranjitsingh Naik Nimbalkar of pressuring the doctor on one occasion in the past to produce a false autopsy report. Nimbalkar, however, denied the allegation, saying it had no truth, and his name was being dragged into the case deliberately.