The Shahapur police in Thane district, on Wednesday, booked Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) R S Kshirsagar for abetting the suicide of a father-daughter duo. The police said an inquiry has found “some substance” in the family’s allegation that the officer harassed the deceased for money. Vikas Suryakant Kedare, 36, killed himself and his 11-year-old daughter Aarya at their flat in Asangaon, under the jurisdiction of Shahapur police station, on March 15. His family and friends had urged the Thane Rural police to conduct an inquiry against Kshirsagar.

After almost a fortnight, the police recorded the statement of the deceased’s sister, Shilpa Shirsath, and lodged an FIR. The harassment started after his wife Monali died after consuming poison on August 15 last year. Her family filed a complaint and Vikas and his mother were jailed for abetting her suicide. While Vikas spent four months in prison, his mother was jailed for two months. “Before the FIR was filed against my brother and our mother, Kshirsagar called him and demanded Rs 1.50 lakh, saying the case against him was weak. My brother was shocked, and we had no money to pay. When in jail, my brother told us that our mother was suffering in jail because we didn’t give Kshirsagar any money,” Shilpa told mid-day.