Beed, March 4 Police investigating the alleged suicide of a GST department officer in Beed, Maharashtra, have arrested his superior from the Pune district on charges of abetting suicide, more than a month and a half after he went missing, an official said.
Sachin Narayan Jadhavar, a Goods and Services Tax (GST) officer, was found dead in a car on January 17 on the Kapiladharwadi stretch of the Dhule-Solapur highway. Police initially claimed that a note found at the scene mentioned work-related issues.
Pradeep Phate, a senior GST officer who had been missing for over 40 days, was apprehended in the Lonikand area of Pune district following a coordinated operation, the official said.
"The case dates back to January 16, 2026, when Sachin Jadhavar left his home stating that he was going to work but never returned. On January 17, his body was found under suspicious circumstances inside his own car on the Dhule-Solapur National Highway. This discovery caused shock throughout the district and the state's administrative circles," the official said.
The investigation gained momentum after the victim's wife, Mayuri Jadhavar, filed a detailed complaint alleging harassment at the workplace.
According to the FIR, Phate, who held an additional charge, allegedly misused his position to mentally torment Jadhavar.
The complaint stated that Phate regularly humiliated Jadhavar in the presence of colleagues and pressured him to clear files for illegal work or perform favors for specific private companies. Unable to cope with the mounting pressure and coercion into unethical practices, Jadhavar took his life, the report said.
Following the registration of the case on January 23, Phate went underground. Despite his attempts to secure anticipatory bail, the court rejected his plea.
The delay in arrest led to significant public outcry. On February 25, Jadhavar's wife and family members staged a hunger strike to demand immediate action.
"Based on technical analysis and human intelligence, our team tracked the accused to Pune. A trap was laid in Lonikand, leading to his successful apprehension," the police official said.