Mumbai Suicide-Abetment Case Escalates: SIT Formed to Probe Shocking New Evidence in Death of Dr. Gauri Palve-Garje

Mumbai: Mumbai Police have launched a full-fledged Special Investigation Team (SIT) to intensify the probe into the suspected suicide-abetment case connected to Anant Garje, personal assistant to Maharashtra minister Pankaja Munde. The decision, finalised on December 5, marks a significant escalation in a case that has rapidly grown in complexity and public scrutiny.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 4) Ragasudha R will lead the eight-member SIT, which has been tasked with examining new layers of evidence that have emerged over the past few weeks. Officials revealed that the sensitive political links and the contradictory accounts in the case made a specialised investigative unit essential.

The case centres around the death of 28-year-old dentist Dr. Gauri Palve-Garje, who was found dead at her Worli residence last month. Her husband, Anant Garje, was arrested in the early hours of November 24 after police noted inconsistencies in his statements and found preliminary indicators of possible foul play. After multiple court hearings, his police custody has been extended to allow investigators more time to verify digital and forensic clues.

Post-mortem findings have raised disturbing questions, with multiple injury marks, including pressure impressions on Gauri’s neck, hinting at the possibility of strangulation. Adding to the intrigue, Garje himself had unexplained injuries, including scratch marks on his hand. He reportedly told police he sustained them while entering the house through a window — a claim now under scrutiny.

Investigators have also retrieved voice recordings from Garje’s phone, which feature heated verbal clashes between the couple. These recordings, officials say, could play a pivotal role in reconstructing the couple’s final interactions.

Police have extended the scope of the FIR to include Garje’s sister, Sheetal, and his brother, Ajay, both of whom are currently absconding. The family members face accusations of assault and sustained harassment that may have pushed Gauri into deep emotional distress. Statements from Gauri’s family revealed she had recently confronted documents suggesting her husband’s former partner was pregnant — information that reportedly left her devastated.