The Worli police have booked Maharashtra Animal Husbandry and Environment Minister Pankaja Munde’s personal assistant, Anant Garje, after his wife allegedly died by suicide.
Garje has been charged with abetment to suicide following the death of his 28-year-old wife, Dr. Gauri Palve, a dental surgeon at KEM Hospital, who was found hanging at their Worli home on Saturday evening.
The FIR was filed by Gauri’s father, Ashok Palve, who alleged that his daughter faced continuous mental and physical harassment at her in-laws’ home. “My daughter, a medical professional, married Anant on February 7 this year. She studied dentistry in Beed and later worked at KEM Hospital. On Saturday evening, when no one was home, she took her life,” he told the police.
DCP Zone 3 Krishnakant Upadhyay confirmed the case. “We received information about a woman dying by suicide. Based on the complainant’s statement, an FIR has been registered against the husband and others. The investigation is underway,” he said.
Police are looking into allegations linked to Anant’s suspected extra-marital relationship. Investigators said Gauri recently found documents belonging to another woman who was pregnant, and those papers named Garje as the father.
“When she confronted him, he allegedly threatened that he would harm himself and even frame a suicide note in her name,” an officer said. No suicide note has been recovered so far. The body has been sent for postmortem.
A manhunt has been launched to trace the accused. “Teams have been formed, and efforts are on to apprehend him,” the police said.
Gauri’s father further claimed that her brother-in-law and sister-in-law were aware of the alleged affair. “When she questioned them, they told her not to take it seriously. Last month, when we visited their home for Anant’s birthday, we noticed marks on her neck. She avoided explaining them and insisted we shouldn’t talk about the affair, saying it would upset her husband,” he added.
He also stated that on November 22, around 6:45 pm, Anant called him saying Gauri was about to take her life. “I asked him to let me speak to her, but he refused and said he was taking her to the hospital. Shortly after, he informed my wife that Gauri was dead. We suspect foul play and want a fair probe,” a family member said.
Minister Pankaja Munde issued a statement expressing shock over the incident. “I am distressed by the news and have spoken to Mumbai Police. Action will be taken as per law,” she said.
Anant Garje, along with his brother Ajay Garje and sister-in-law Sheetal Garje, has been booked under Section 108 (abetment to suicide), Section 85 (cruelty by husband or relatives), and other relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
