The Pune city police have arrested two senior doctors from Sassoon General Hospital for allegedly tampering with the blood sample of a minor involved in a fatal car crash. The incident, on May 19, resulted in the deaths of two young engineers, Aneesh Awadhiya and Ashwini Koshta, when a speeding Porsche, allegedly driven by a 17-year-old boy under the influence of alcohol, struck their motorcycle at Kalyani Nagar junction.
The arrested doctors are Dr. Shrihari Harnol and Dr. Ajay Taware who is head of the forensic medicine sector at the hospital in question. Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar announced that they are under custody since yesterday after being accused of tampering with a blood sample so as to reduce alcohol levels before it got examined at forensics lab.
In the early hours of May 19, a crash occurred which led to the minor driver being apprehended by bystanders before being delivered unto the law enforcers; at around 8:00 am an FIR was lodged at the Yerwada Police Station while Sassoon Hospital carried out a medical examination on the boy which saw his blood taken at 11:00 am. Commissioner Kumar acknowledged a significant delay in the collection of the blood sample.
During their investigation, the police discovered the tampering and took a preventive measure by obtaining a second blood sample for DNA testing later that evening. The first FIR against the minor had negligent charges according to IPC Section 304(a) but was later changed to the graver offense of culpable homicide under IPC Section 304 and drunken driving under Section 185 of the Motor Vehicle Act.
The Juvenile Justice Board (JJB), operating with only one non-judicial member instead of the usual three, initially granted bail to the minor on May 19, imposing conditions such as writing an essay, studying traffic norms, and attending deaddiction counseling. However, after public outcry, the JJB reversed its decision and sent the minor to an observation home until June 5.
Also Read: Pune Porsche Crash: Doctors Arrested for Tampering Blood Samples
In the wake of the controversy, two officers from the Yerwada police station, Inspector Rahul Jagdale and Assistant Police Inspector Vishwanath Todkari, were suspended for their mishandling of the case, including failing to promptly report the accident to senior officers and the wireless control room.
Additionally, the minor’s father, a realtor, and his grandfather were also arrested for their involvement in the case, with allegations that they attempted to manipulate the investigation. The grandfather reportedly instructed a driver to take the blame for the accident in exchange for a reward.
This case highlights significant lapses in the handling of the investigation and raises questions about systemic issues within the enforcement and medical examination processes.
