SWC Chair Defends Role In Vaishnavi Hagawane Case, Seeks Probe Into Police Delays; BJP MLC's Sister-in-law Alleges Harassment

In the Vaishnavi Hagawane suicide case and the alleged assault of her sister-in-law Mayuri Hagawane, State Women’s Commission (SWC) chairperson Rupali Chakankar has written to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, defending the commission’s actions and pointing at delays by the law enforcement agencies.

Days after opposition leaders and women’s groups demanded Chakankar’s resignation and argued that timely intervention could have potentially saved Vaishnavi’s life, Chakankar said, “The State Women’s Commission had directed the police to submit a report on the action taken in Mayuri Hagawane’s case. On May 28, 2025, the Superintendent of Police, Pune Rural, submitted a report detailing the investigation. However, it is alarming that the chargesheet was not filed within the mandated 60-day period despite the serious nature of the allegations.” Notably, Mayuri’s mother had written to the commission as early as November 6, 2024.

Chakankar has now urged the CM to order an inquiry into the delay through the home department, highlighting the need for accountability in the criminal justice process surrounding cases of violence against women.

In a separate incident, Priya Fuke, the sister-in-law of BJP MLC Parinay Fuke, has accused his family of domestic violence, harassment, and deliberate suppression of justice. Addressing the media, Priya alleged she has been trying to file a complaint for the past 18 months but the police have consistently failed to register her case.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sushma Andhare and NCP-SP leader Rohini Khadse were present at the press conference, where they extended their support to Priya.

Priya alleged that her marriage to Sanket Fuke, the younger brother of Parinay Fuke, took place in 2012. She claimed that the family deliberately concealed Sanket’s serious kidney condition, for which he had undergone surgery two years prior to the marriage. Upon discovering the truth, Priya said she was threatened by her in-laws when she questioned them about the withheld medical information.

In 2022, Sanket Fuke succumbed to his illness, leaving behind Priya and their two children. Priya said that when she inquired about her late husband’s property and financial matters, her in-laws began threatening her and eventually forced her out of the house at 10pm one night.

She further alleged that goons linked to the family have been sent to her maternal home to threaten and harass her. Andhare said, “If a family member of a ruling party MLC cannot get justice, what hope do other women in the state have? Advertising slogans like ‘Ladki Bahin' are meaningless if such injustice continues.”