The head of the forensics department at Sassoon Hospital in Pune, along with another doctor from the same hospital, have been apprehended for allegedly tampering with evidence, according to Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar. This incident occurred after it was discovered that the blood samples of the teenager involved in the fatal car crash were switched with those of another individual who had not consumed alcohol. The original blood sample of the minor was discarded in a dustbin, as per the police. The minor had undergone a medical examination at Sassoon Hospital on the day of the accident, May 19, at 11 am.
The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report indicated the absence of alcohol in the initial sample, which raised suspicions. Subsequently, a second blood test was conducted at a different hospital, and DNA tests confirmed that the samples belonged to two different individuals. This led investigators to suspect that the doctors at the government hospital had tampered with the evidence in order to protect the accused juvenile. Dr. Shrihari Halnor, who had collected the blood sample from the minor, was arrested the previous night. During interrogation, he disclosed that he had switched the blood sample under the instructions of Dr. Ajay Taware, the Head of Forensic Medicine.
Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar announced during a press conference that following the arrest of the two doctors, charges of criminal conspiracy, forgery, and destruction of evidence were added to the accident case. Kumar further stated that the second blood sample taken from the minor did not contain any traces of alcohol. However, he emphasized that their case falls under section 304, culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The accused juvenile was fully aware that his actions could endanger lives, so the absence of alcohol in his blood sample does not impact their case in any way.
Summary of the Pune crash incident:
The Pune Porsche crash case has been plagued by controversy from the start, with accusations of favoritism and ties to the criminal underworld surrounding the accused’s family. The underage individual, who is said to have been driving the Porsche while under the influence of alcohol, was initially granted bail but later sent to an observation home until June 5 due to public outrage.
In connection with the case, the minor’s father, Vishal Agrawal, a real estate developer, and his grandfather have also been arrested. There are allegations that they tried to bribe and intimidate the family’s driver into taking responsibility for the accident.
Anish Awadhiya and Ashwini Koshta, both IT professionals, lost their lives when the speeding Porsche, allegedly driven by the 17-year-old, collided with their motorcycle. The victims’ families have called for a Supreme Court-monitored investigation and trial, expressing concerns about the handling of the case.