Mumbai: Widening the scope of the sensational Porsche drunken-driving hit-and-run case of Pune, the police swooped on two doctors from the state-run Sassoon General Hospital for allegedly tampering with the blood samples of the 17-year-old accused as forensic and DNA tests proved to be of some other person.
Besides, a peon, Atul Ghatkamble too has been arrested.
The two medical professionals arrested are Dr Ajay Taware, the Head of Forensic Medicine Department and Dr Shrihari Halnor, the Casualty Medical Officer.
The doctor-duo, who were allegedly involved in destruction of evidence, have been sent to police custody till May 30.
Pune’s Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar confirmed that two doctors have been arrested.
The development further mounts trouble for the accused's father Vishal Agarwal and grandfather Surendra Kumar Agarwal, who are already under arrest in two different cases linked to the incident and facing multiple charges.
The minor boy, whose rash driving led to the death of two young IT professionals, is currently lodged in the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Udyog Kendra, a juvenile rehabilitation/correctional home.
His father, Vishal Agarwal, who was arrested by the Crime Branch of Pune police, is currently in judicial custody.
The grandfather, Surendra Kumar Agarwal has also been remanded to police custody.
While the incident took place around 0230 hrs on May 19, the blood samples were taken at 1100 hrs due to a delay at the Yerwada police station of Pune.
"Around 11 am on May 19, a blood sample (of the minor accused) that was taken at Sassoon Hospital was thrown in a dustbin and the blood sample of another person was taken and sent to the forensic lab. Dr Halnor replaced this blood sample at the instructions of Dr Ajay Taware,” Amitesh Kumar said.
“Investigation has revealed Dr Taware and the teen accused's father spoke over the phone on the day of the incident,” he said.
The arrests took place after it emerged that the blood sample sent to the hospital belonged to someone else and not the minor boy.
“We had taken a second blood sample which was given to another hospital for analysis with the intention of carrying out a DNA test later. Now, it has come to light that the Sassoon Hospital blood forensic report was of some other person,” the top cop said.
It may be mentioned, two cops – Police Inspector Rahul Jagdale and Assistant Police Inspector Vishwanath Todkari, both attached to the Yerwada police station, were suspended for alleged dereliction of duty and other lapses pertaining to the incident.
“I will repeat again...our case does not rest on the blood samples. The boy was in full senses and knew his act of consuming liquor and then driving a car at high speed could lead to fatal consequences,” Kumar reiterated.
So far, the police have registered three cases.
The first case involves the incident, which initially was registered under Indian Penal Code section 304 A (doing any rash or negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide) and was later upgraded to 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) - which attracts a jail term of 10 years.
Besides, the Motor Vehicles Act too has been applied as the boy was underage and did not have a driving license and the Porsche car did not have a registration number.
The second case involves his father, Vishal Agarwal who has been booked under sections 75 and 77 of Juvenile Justice Act for allegedly allowing his minor son to drive and consume alcohol.
The third case involves grandfather, Surendra Kumar Agarwal, who has been booked under sections 342, 365, 368, 506, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly threatening and confining the family driver and forcing him to take the blame for the incident in return for monetary consideration.