Former MP Dismisses Opposition Claims as Misinformation; Congress Criticizes Chief Minister

In a case that has rocked Maharashtra’s political landscape, former BJP MP from Madha, Ranjeetsingh Naik Nimbalkar, has defended himself against allegations linking him to a doctor’s suicide in Phaltan. Speaking on Thursday, Nimbalkar claimed the accusations were based on “misinformation” and suggested he might take legal action if clarification efforts fail.

“A series of allegations have been leveled against me. I don’t blame those making them. They are acting on misinformation,” said Nimbalkar in a video statement released on social media. “We will first try to clarify the facts through discussion. If that doesn’t work, we will take legal action. As I’ve said for the past year, we seek badlav (change), not badla (revenge).”

The controversy centers on a female doctor who was posted at a government hospital in Satara district. She allegedly died by suicide after writing a note on her palm accusing a police sub-inspector of rape and a software engineer of mental harassment. Opposition leaders claim a letter from the deceased also indicated she was pressured by Nimbalkar to alter medical reports in cases involving politically connected individuals.

Nimbalkar urged his supporters to refrain from making threatening calls to opposition leaders, following allegations from Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Sushma Andhare and NCP (SP)’s Mehboob Shaikh that they had received such communications.

The case has taken on political dimensions, with Congress launching a direct attack on Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. During a press conference in New Delhi on Thursday, Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad and party spokesman Atul Londhe Patil criticized the Chief Minister for allegedly giving a “clean chit” to those accused in the case before any formal investigation could be completed.

“Only a Special Investigation Team and a judicial inquiry can unearth the truth behind this sensational crime,” Gaikwad stated. She alleged that the doctor faced blackmail and threats after resisting pressure from Nimbalkar and his associates to alter fitness certificates and postmortem reports.

“The doctor was scared that her suicide note would be destroyed and chose to write her dying declaration on her palm,” Gaikwad claimed, adding that a “nexus of political, departmental and police pressure” drove the doctor to take her own life.

Gaikwad and Patil questioned how the Chief Minister could share a public platform with Nimbalkar and effectively clear his name without a proper investigation. During a rally in Phaltan, CM Fadnavis had defended Nimbalkar, stating that the suicide note did not directly mention the former MP’s name.

Opposition leaders counter that the doctor had filed a written complaint in June, claiming that two of Nimbalkar’s personal assistants visited her hospital and facilitated a phone call from the ex-MP. During this call, she was allegedly pressured to declare pre-arrest accused individuals as medically fit.

The Congress has also raised concerns about the State Women Commission’s handling of the case. Party leaders alleged that the chairperson visited Phaltan but “did not meet the victim’s family and instead chose to character assassinate the victim,” questioning why the commission was “acting as a shield for the establishment.”

This case highlights ongoing tensions in Maharashtra’s political landscape, particularly as parties position themselves ahead of upcoming elections. The allegations and counter-allegations reflect the charged political environment, with opposition parties using the tragic incident to question the ruling coalition’s governance and accountability.

As investigations continue, the case raises serious questions about political influence in medical and police procedures, as well as protections for healthcare workers facing external pressures in carrying out their professional duties.