Probe launched as doctors and staff arrested for evidence tampering in Pune accident case.
In a major development in the Pune porsche car accident case, two doctors and a hospital staff have been arrested for allegedly tampering with evidence. Dr Ajay Taware and Dr Shrihari Halnor of Sassoon General Hospital along with staff Atul Ghatkamble were taken into custody.
As per police sources, Halnor and Ghatkamble accepted receiving Rs 3 lakh to replace the blood sample of the minor driver involved in the accident, killing two. Rs 2.5 lakh was recovered from Halnor and Rs 50,000 from Ghatkamble. However, the source of funds is under investigation.
A public prosecutor told a Pune court that the accused misused positions for financial gains and replaced the juvenile’s blood sample with another person’s to destroy evidence of alcohol consumption. Police sought custodial interrogation of the trio.
Earlier, suspicion rose as the blood test report showed no alcohol contrary to suspicions. A second test at another hospital and DNA analysis established the samples belonged to different individuals.
The Maharashtra government has constituted a three-member committee to visit Sassoon Hospital concerning the case. Dean Dr Vinayak Kale has been directed to cooperate.
The arrests come after it emerged the original sample was disposed of in a dustbin, with the tampering aimed at shielding the juvenile accused in the deaths of two persons.
