Pune Porsche crash: Minor's blood sample was thrown in dustbin, forensic head arrested

The Pune Crime Branch has arrested Dr Ajay Tawade and Dr Hari Harnor of Sasoon Hospital.

Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar told the media that samples collected at the hospital and sent for forensic tests were not of the juvenile accused at all. "This means the sample was replaced."

"Around 11 am on May 19, a blood sample (of the teen) 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. CMO Srihari Halnor replaced this blood sample. During the investigation, we found Srihari Halnor replaced this on the instructions of Ajay Tawade, HOD of forensic medicine department at Sassoon Hospital," Kumar said.

The phones of both doctors have been seized. Investigation has revealed Dr Tawade and the teen accused's father spoke over the phone on the day of the accident, Kumar told the media.

Earlier, reports had claimed that the Pune teen, who is now at a remand home, had tested negative for alcohol. However, CCTV footage from one of the bars he visited that night showed him drinking with friends.

The minor, allegedly speeding at 200 km per hour after heavy drinking, has been placed in an observation home until June 5 while the Juvenile Justice Board reviews the police request to treat him as an adult.

The teen's father, a prominent real estate developer, was arrested under provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act.

The teen driving the Porsche hit the motorcycle, ridden by two engineers, Ashwini Kostha and Anish Awadhiya, from behind in a drunken state,

Both the riders died on the spot.

Despite the severity of the situation, the teenager was granted bail within 15 hours of the accident. He was asked to write a 300-word essay on road accidents, cooperating with traffic authorities for 15 days, and undergoing counselling for his alcohol consumption.

However, following widespread public outrage, the Juvenile Justice Board revised its decision and placed him in the observation home.

Amid accusations that the influential family attempted to manipulate legal procedures to protect the teenager, connections to the underworld were also uncovered.