Maharashtra doctor suicide: Who is Gopal Badane, cop accused of sexual assault?
In the suicide note found on Maharashtra doctor's hand, she accused sub inspector Gopal Badane of sexual assault and raping her four times.
Two suspects have been arrested in the suicide case of a 29-year-old doctor from Maharashtra who was found dead in her hotel in Phaltan. The accused held are Prashant Bankar, a software engineer and Gopal Badane, a police sub-inspector.
In the doctor's suicide note, Badane has been accused of sexual assault and rape. The sub inspector was taken into custody on Saturday night after he surrendered to the Phaltan Rural Police.
Who is Gopal Badane
Gopal Badane is a Phaltan City police sub-inspector and co-accused in the case. The doctor had earlier filed numerous complaints naming several police officers, including Badane.
As per the family of the doctor, the 29-year-old woman had complained of coercion from the Satara police and a member of parliament to fake medical records and autopsy reports in certain cases. Faking these records, she alleged, would allowed the police to easily secure custody of suspects, without due process.
Also read: Raped 4 times by ‘relative’: Shocking details in Maharashtra doctor suicide case
Threatened her in the emergency ward
According to her complaint, the doctor alleged that Gopal Badane once entered the emergency ward, sat on a chair and threatened her, HT reported.
Even though she made complaints to senior doctors and officials of the hospital, the medic's complaints were ignored.
Accused of sexual assault
The four-page statement to the committee investigating harassment charges against the accused includes major details of the sexual assault.
In the suicide note found on her hand, the doctor accused Badane of sexual assault and raping her four times.
Also read: ‘Institutional murder’: Rahul Gandhi reacts to Maharashtra doctor suicide case
Police claim Bankar's father involved Badane
According to the sister of Prashant Bankar, the doctor was close to Bankar for months and proposed a marriage to him, which he turned down.
Police said that after the fallout, Bankar’s father allegedly asked Badane to intervene. Badane hails from Beed, much like Bankar and the deceased, so Badane was known to them.
Countering the claims of the deceased, police officials have alleged that the doctor did not cooperate in issuing fitness certificates for the accused, claiming that she deliberately issued “not fit” certificates, which resulted in a delayed arrest.
(with inputs from Shrinivas Deshpande)
