Pune Porsche Case: 3-member panel formed, how accused ‘bribed’ doctors

In a new development in the Pune Porsche car accident case, which killed two young IT professionals, police have arrested a peon, Atul Ghatkamble, of Sassoon General Hospital who allegedly collected a bribe of 3 lakh rupees. The bribe was supposed to be meant for two senior doctors, identified as Dr Ajay Taware, head of Sassoon General Hospital’s forensic medicine department, and Dr Shrihari Halnor, the chief medical officer. In an unlikely twist in the case, they were earlier arrested by the Pune Police for allegedly manipulating the blood samples of the accused teen driver. They have been remanded in police custody until May 30 by the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class (small causes).

Image: The Quint 

Sample Tampering

The investigation has revealed Dr Taware and the teen accused’s father spoke over the phone on the day of the accident when Dr. allegedly hinted at the minor blood samples being replaced by the blood samples of a doctor. Officials have said the samples were swapped in order to remove the traces of alcohol. 

Image: The Indian Express 

Further Proceedings

Following the arrest, The Maharashtra government has set up a three-member committee. Grant Medical College and J J group of hospitals, Dr Pallavi Sapale was appointed as the chairperson of the committee, as per the order of Medical Education Commissioner Rajiv Nivatkar. 

The other members include Dr Sudhir Chowdhary, Special Duty Officer at Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar Government Medical College and Super Speciality Hospital and Dr Gajanan Chavan, professor of the forensic medicine department of Grant Medical College. The committee is asked to visit Pune on Tuesday, 28th of May. The commissioner has also directed the Dean of Sassoon General Hospital, Dr Vinayak Kale, to cooperate with the committee in the probe.

Sections Added to the Case

+The police have added sections 201, 120-B, 467, 213 and 214 of the IPC to the original offences, sections 304, 304 A, 279 and pertinent sections of the Motor Vehicle Act, registered against the juvenile in the case. The added sections include charges of causing the disappearance of evidence, criminal conspiracy, forgery of valuable security, taking a gift, etc, to screen an offender from punishment, and offering a gift or restoration of property in consideration of screening the offender, respectively.

The Pune Porsche Case in Brief

Two IT professionals were killed after their motorcycle was hit by a speeding Porsche allegedly driven by a drunk minor on May 19. The teenager was initially granted bail by the Juvenile Justice Board, on conditions, less than a light rap on the knuckles, asking him to pen a 300-word essay on road mishaps and their solution and to undergo de-addiction counselling. However, after the major public outcry over the unjust treatment, he was sent to an observation home till June 5. In connection with the accident, the police have also arrested the teenager’s father, a realtor, and his grandfather. 

Conclusion

Corruption in the medical field undermines the authenticity of such cases by compromising forensic integrity, a pillar in criminal cases. Bribery and falsified reports skew evidence in favour of the rich, leading to wrongful convictions or acquittals. This endangers public safety, highlighting the urgent need for stringent regulatory oversight and ethical reforms in the medical community.