The Maharashtra government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct a detailed probe into the alleged suicide of Dr Gauri Palave, a 28-year-old dental surgeon. The case has gained significant attention as her husband, Anant Garje, is a personal assistant to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and state Environment Minister Pankaja Munde.
Family Meets CM, Demands Justice
The decision to form the SIT came after the deceased's family met with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and pressed for a fair and impartial investigation. Leading the SIT is Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone-IV) Ragasudha R, who, along with her team, visited the incident scene on Friday to gather evidence.
The police had already taken a significant step last month by arresting Anant Garje (31) on charges of abetment to suicide. He is currently in judicial custody. The First Information Report (FIR) also names Garje's brother, Ajay, and sister, Sheetal Andhale. Both siblings have now applied for anticipatory bail, with a crucial hearing scheduled for December 8.
A Life Cut Short: The Tragic Details
Dr Gauri Palave, a BDS graduate from Aditya Dental College in Beed, was working as a dental surgeon at Mumbai's prestigious KEM Hospital. She had moved to the city after marrying Anant Garje in February of this year. The couple initially lived in Worli's Adarsh Nagar before recently shifting to a flat on the 30th floor of the newly redeveloped Navin BDD Chawl, where Garje's brother Ajay also resided.
In his police complaint, Gauri's father, Ashok Palave, a medical yoga teacher from Beed district, stated that his daughter often confided in them about frequent arguments with her husband over household matters. The situation reportedly reached a breaking point on September 30.
While shifting houses, Gauri allegedly discovered a 2021 pregnancy consent form from Mamta Hospital in Latur for a woman named Kiran Ingle, which listed Anant Garje as her husband. Distraught, she immediately sent photographs of the document to her father. The family alleges that the mental and physical harassment following the discovery of this alleged extramarital affair drove Gauri to end her life at their residence.
Legal Proceedings and Next Steps
The formation of the high-level SIT underscores the seriousness with which the state administration is treating the case. The team's investigation will now run parallel to the ongoing judicial process. With the main accused in custody and his relatives seeking legal protection from arrest, the coming weeks are critical for the pursuit of justice.
All eyes are now on the anticipatory bail hearing for Ajay Garje and Sheetal Andhale on December 8, which will be a key development in this sensitive case that connects a personal tragedy to the political corridors of power in Maharashtra.
