Seven days after the death of environmentalist-activist-lawyer Sarita Khanchandani, the Vithalwadi police have booked a Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and four others for allegedly abetting her suicide. Sarita, 45, allegedly jumped to her death from the seventh floor of the Roma Building in Ulhasnagar on August 28.
FIR Filed by Husband
An FIR was lodged on September 4 by her husband, Purshottam Khanchandani, naming the accused as Jiya Gopalani, Ulhas Falke, Shivani Shukla Falke, Raj Chandwani (a lawyer), and Dhananjay Bodare. They have been booked under Section 108 (abetment of suicide) and Section 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita.
Allegations of Harassment
According to the complaint, Purshottam alleged that the UBT leader and his associates harassed his wife, driving her to suicide. Police confirmed that a suicide note was recovered, in which Sarita wrote: “The above-named accused are responsible for my death. I have not done anything wrong. I have not taken any money. I have not taken even a single rupee from any mandal or neta. Jiya Gopalani and Ulhas Falke are falsely framing me.”
Suicide Note Discovered
The FIR states that after Sarita’s final rites, her husband and daughter visited her office on August 30 to review CCTV footage. During this time, they learned about the suicide note she had written before taking her life, in which she named those allegedly responsible for her mental torture.
Police Action Underway
A police officer said, “Initially, we registered an ADR. Later, based on the suicide note, it was converted into an FIR. So far, no arrests have been made, and a manhunt is underway.”
