Woman doctor's suicide: Andhare demands transfer of probe to `high-level committee'

Pune, Oct 29 (PTI) Pointing out `discrepancies' in the investigation of alleged suicide of a 28-year-old woman doctor, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sushma Andhare on Wednesday demanded that the Bombay High Court should transfer the probe to a "high-level committee." The woman doctor who allegedly committed suicide at a hotel in Phaltan left a note written on her palm, accusing police sub-inspector (now suspended) Gopal Badane of raping her multiple times, and also accused software engineer Prashant Bankar, son of her landlord, of harassing her physically and mentally. Both of them have been arrested.

Speaking at a press conference in Mumbai, Andhare claimed that the handwriting in the alleged suicide note on the woman's palm was different from that in her complaint application in the past.

"Looking at the discrepancies in the (two) handwritings... there is scope to call the death a murder rather than a suicide," said Andhare while showing pictures of the two specimens of the handwriting.

Questioning the police probe, she demanded that the high court hand over the investigation to a "high-level committee".

The Sena (UBT) leader also trained her guns on Rupali Chakankar, chairperson of the Maharashtra Women's Commission, claiming that Chakankar disclosed information from Call Detail Records (CDR) of the deceased doctor.

"CDR is part of the police investigation. Who gave the women's commission the right to talk about call records and her chats at an open press conference? Will the National Commission for Women seek clarification from Chakankar for this irresponsible act?" asked Andhare.

She also sought to know if Sunil Tatkare, state chief of the Nationalist Congress Party (to which Chakankar belongs), seek her resignation. PTI SPK KRK