Set up SIT to probe doctor’s death, Supriya Sule urges Fadnavis

Ten days after a young woman doctor ended her life in Maharashtra’s Satara district, NCP-SP MP Supriya Sule on Monday met her family in Beed, urging Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to act “sensitively” and demanded that he set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT), appointing a retired judge to head the team and conduct a fair inquiry. 

While visiting the family, along with NCP MP Bajrang Sonawane and party youth wing president Maheboob Shaikh, Ms. Sule questioned, “How only selective information was leaked in public domain? We will ensure no political pressure gets in the way of the investigation. Such dirty politics has no place in the State. We trust in Chief Minister, so I request him not to give any clean chit.” 

She said Mr. Sonawane would meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on this matter. On October 23, the 29-year-old doctor allegedly ended her life, leaving behind a handwritten note, blaming sub-inspector Gopal Badane of raping her on multiple occasions and software engineer, Prashant Bankar, of mentally harassing her. Both have been arrested.

Meanwhile, the doctors’ association, stressed the need for “urgent systemic reforms” to ensure the mental well-being of doctors serving in government healthcare institutions. 

Association of Medical Officers at Medical Colleges and Affiliated Hospitals (AMOMCH), on behalf of all medical officers in Maharashtra, wrote a letter to Anil Bhandari, Commissioner, Medical Education and AYUSH, seeking prevention of interference by political, social and anti-social elements in forensic cases.

“In medico-legal cases, it has been observed that there is an increasing trend of political, social and anti-social elements exerting pressure on medical officers, creating an atmosphere of depression. There is a possibility of injustice being done to the weaker sections due to lack of objectivity in the judicial process, “the October 31 appeal read. 

The AMOMCH sought a policy that stopped interference in forensic cases and brings in SOPs to the effect that the police administration should contact and correspond with medical officers regarding forensic cases only through legal and official means.

In another development, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sushma Andhare raised concerns around the investigation of the doctor’s death and clarified that Mr. Fadnavis was the first one to take the name of former MP Ranjit Naik Nimbalkar just after the two days of the incident, giving a “clean chit” to him. 

“No one asked Mr. Fadnavis about him. He still took the name during the event. The next day, I attended the press conference and presented some arguments, asking not to rush to give a clean chit. Let the fair trial happen,” said Ms. Andhare in Beed on Monday. 

Ms. Andhare said apprehensions were raised over political pressure on the police regarding the investigation.