A senior researcher at the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) was taken into custody by the Pimpri Chinchwad police in relation to the tragic case involving the molestation and subsequent suicide of a 30-year-old doctoral student. Reports indicate that on April 9, the accused allegedly provided the student with a written apology on a stamped document. Unfortunately, she took her own life two days later, on April 11, at her home in Chinchwad, according to police sources.

The victim’s father filed a first information report (FIR) at the MIDC Bhosari police station. Following the information revealed in the victim’s suicide note, authorities apprehended her advisor, Dr. A. Benniamin, on April 12. He faces charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), specifically sections 108 (abetment of suicide) and 74 (assault or criminal force against a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty). The court has ordered him to remain in police custody until April 15 to facilitate ongoing investigations.

Dr. Benniamin holds the position of head at the BSI, which is situated in the Koregaon Park area of Pune.

According to police inspector Bhojraj Misal, “Two days prior to her tragic decision, the accused issued a written apology to the victim. She also reached out to her father during this time. We conjecture that, despite receiving this apology, the victim continued to experience significant emotional distress stemming from the alleged harassment, which ultimately led her to take her life. The investigation is ongoing, and we are interviewing other individuals at BSI to gain further insight into the accused’s conduct.”

Authorities noted that the victim had been pursuing her PhD for the last two years. The FIR alleges that since August 2025, she had been subjected to inappropriate behavior, mental harassment, and other illicit actions by her academic guide, culminating in her tragic suicide early on April 11.