The suspended police sub-inspector (PSI), Gopal Badne, accused in the Satara woman doctor suicide case, has been sent to police custody until October 30, 2025. Badne was arrested after surrendering at the Phaltan Rural Police Station on Saturday evening.

The case revolves around the death of a government doctor in Satara district who was found dead in a hotel room in Phaltan on Thursday night. In a note written on her palm, the doctor accused PSI Badne of raping her multiple times. She also alleged that a software engineer, Prashant Bankar, had mentally harassed her. Following the accusations, Badne was suspended from service.

Satara Superintendent of Police (SP) Tushar Doshi confirmed Badne's arrest and stated that he would be presented before the court, with further proceedings to follow. Earlier on Saturday, a team from Phaltan police arrested Prashant Bankar from Pune. Bankar, who is the son of the doctor's landlord, is accused of abetment to suicide for allegedly mentally harassing the victim. He was produced before a Satara district court and has been remanded to police custody for four days.

A case of rape and abetment to suicide has been registered against both Badne and Bankar. The doctor, originally from the Beed district in Marathwada, was working at a government hospital in Satara.

The doctor's relatives have demanded capital punishment for the accused, alleging that she had complained multiple times about harassment but her grievances were not addressed. They also allege the doctor faced pressure to alter medical reports.

SP Tushar Doshi stated that the police are investigating the allegations of sexual assault against Badne and the abetment to suicide charge against Bankar. Doshi clarified that the police are primarily focusing on the allegations written on the doctor's palm and not specifically investigating claims that the doctor was pressured by police to falsify medical certificates. However, he assured that all possibilities would be investigated, as is standard procedure in suicide cases.

The Satara civil surgeon, Dr. Yuvraj Karpe, mentioned that a two-member committee had been formed in July following disputes between the doctor and the police, after the police had complained in writing that the doctor was not cooperating with them.

Devendra Fadnavis stated that strict action would be taken and no one would be spared, and politicizing such a sensitive issue is insensitive.