Mumbai Police forms SIT to probe Maharashtra minister's PA’s role in his wife’s suicide case

Senior police officer said that the SIT will scrutinise all the digital evidence. Representational Pic/File

The Mumbai Police have formed Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by a senior woman police officer to investigate serious allegations against Anant Garje, the personal assistant (PA) to Maharashtra Minister Pankaja Munde, in his wife's suicide case, the officials said on Thursday.

Pankaja Munde is Maharashtra's Animal Husbandry, Environment and Climate Change Minister.

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Garje was arrested last month for allegedly abetting the suicide of his 28-year-old wife, Dr Gauri Palve.

Gauri was found dead at the couple's rented Worli residence on November 23.

Following a complaint from her father, Ashok Palve, the Worli Police had registered an FIR and arrested Garje the following day. He was produced before the court and remanded to police custody until November 2. He remains in judicial custody.

Senior police officers said that the SIT will scrutinise all the digital evidence, including messages, call records and photographs exchanged between the couple.

"We are awaiting the detailed post-mortem findings to ascertain the exact cause of death and rule out any foul play," an officer said.

According to the FIR, Gauri had confided in her father about frequent arguments with her husband since their marriage in February this year. On October 3, she allegedly sent him photographs on WhatsApp suggesting Garje was involved with another woman. When she confronted him, Garje allegedly threatened to harm himself and blame her for it. The complaint also names a few of Garje's relatives who, according to the FIR, were aware of the alleged affair and had told Gauri that if she left him, they would get Garje remarried.

The SIT will now re-examine all aspects of the case, including the role of the named relatives, and verify whether sustained harassment allegedly led Gauri to take the extreme step, officials said.

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