Mumbai: Mumbai Police have constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct a deeper probe into the high-profile suicide abetment case involving Anant Garje, the personal assistant (PA) to Maharashtra minister Pankaja Munde. The decision to form the team was taken on December 5.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 4) Ragasudha R has been appointed to head the eight-member SIT, as reported by PTI. Officials confirmed the formation of the team on Tuesday, noting that the complexity of evidence and the sensitive nature of the allegations necessitated a specialised unit.
Anant Garje was arrested late last month for allegedly abetting the suicide of his 28-year-old wife, Dr Gauri Palve-Garje, a dentist employed at a civic-run hospital in Mumbai. Her sudden death at their Worli residence sent shockwaves through both the medical community and political circles.
On November 24, around 1 am, the Worli Police arrested Garje, who has since been produced in court twice. Following the initial police custody, the court extended his remand until December 2 to allow cops more time to examine emerging evidence.
Postmortem Reveals Shocking Details
Preliminary findings have raised several red flags. According to the post-mortem report, multiple injuries were found on Gauri’s body, along with pressure marks on her neck that suggest possible strangulation. Surprisingly, injuries were also discovered on Garje, including scratches on his hand, which he claims occurred when he entered the house through a window in the building’s Refugee Area. Police are exploring whether these injuries were the result of a physical altercation between the couple.
Cops have also recovered suspicious voice recordings from Garje’s phone, capturing heated exchanges between the couple. Officials believe these recordings could influence the direction of the case. Given these revelations, detailed scrutiny became essential, leading the court to extend Garje’s custody.
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Case Filed Against Garje, His Family Members
An FIR was filed not only against Garje but also his sister Sheetal Garje and brother Ajay Garje, who are currently absconding. The charges include physical assault and mental harassment, alleged to have pushed Gauri towards taking her own life. The Worli Police have registered the case under BNS Sections 108, 85, 352, and 351(2).
Adding to the emotional turmoil, Gauri had recently come across documents suggesting that Garje’s former partner was pregnant. Deeply distressed, she shared these documents with her father shortly before her death, according to family statements provided to the police.
With the SIT now taking over, the case is expected to undergo a more intensive, evidence-driven investigation to determine the exact sequence of events that led to Gauri’s tragic death.
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