Porsche Crash Case: Sassoon Hospital Dean sent on compulsory leave, 2 doctors arrested for swapping blood sample suspended

Pune: In the latest twist in the Porsche car crash in Pune, B J Medical College and Sassoon General Hospital dean Dr Vinayak Kale has been sent on compulsory leave due to allegations of not treating the situation with the necessary seriousness and failing to make appropriate decisions in his capacity as dean.

This came hours after Dr Kale disclosed that he selected Dr **, the head of the Forensic Medicine Department as the medical superintendent based on a suggestion from Maharashtra's medical education minister, Hasan Mushrif. 

Following his leave, the Maharashtra government handed over the additional charge of dean of the medical college and hospital to Dr Chandrakant Mhaske. Dr Mhaske is the incumbent dean at Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Government Medical College, Baramati, Pune.

Also read- Porsche Crash Case: 14 Calls Between Forensic Head Of Sassoon Hospital, Teen's Father For Swapping Blood Sample

In a press conference on Wednesday, Dr Kale admitted that a letter was written by Maharashtra Medical Education Minister Hasan Mushrif and MLA Sunil Tingre, requesting the appointment of Dr Ajay Tawade as the head of the Forensic Medicine Department at Sassoon Hospital.

A few days ago, a letter from MLA Tingre to Hasan Mushrif seeking that Dr ***** be appointed as the medical superintendent of the Sassoon Hospital in Pune went viral on social media. Following this, netizens have been demanding action against the ministers in connection. 

When media reporters asked Dr Kale about the appointment of Dr ****, he denied any involvement in appointing him as quoted by TNIE. He also stated that he had only obeyed the instructions of the State Medical Education Minister. 

Meanwhile, Mushrif, who belongs to NCP led by Ajit Pawar, admitted to PTI that Dr *** appointment was made based on a letter submitted by the party MLA (Sunil Tingare).

When asked whether he was aware of past allegations against Dr ***, the minister said, “I do not possess any divine powers so that I would know everything about each person and their deeds in my department”.

He (the MLA) had recommended Dr *** appointment, and I approved it, the minister said.

“When the recommendation was made, the dean should have pointed out to us about the reputation of this person. I was abroad till May 24, and I learned about the whole incident on May 26,” Mushrif claimed.

Further, Denying any allegations of non-compliance with the regulations set by the National Medical Commission concerning the appointment, Dr Kale told TNIE, “As per the norms, the medical superintendent has to be at the level of a Professor and at that time Dr Kiran Kumar Jadhav who held charge was associate professor. Hence, based on what our minister recommended, I issued an executive order as Dean to appoint Dr ***.” 

Suspension of two doctors, staffer of Sassoon Hospital 

Meanwhile, two doctors and a staffer of Sassoon Hospital have been suspended after they were arrested in connection with the alleged manipulation of blood samples of the minor driver involved in the Porsche car crash in Pune.

The suspension of the head of the Department of Forensic Medicine and the chief medical officer was ordered on the recommendation given by the Maharashtra Medical Education Department commissioner.

“The state government has received a report from the three-member committee appointed to look into the allegations. Based on the committee’s report, the medical education department has issued an order to suspend these two officials (doctors)”, state Medical Education Minister Hasan Mushrif told reporters.

Medical Dialogues team had previously reported that two doctors of Sassoon Hospital were arrested for allegedly discarding the blood samples of the 17-year-old boy suspect accused of murdering two software engineers and replacing them with another person's samples.

The two doctors accused of tampering with the blood sample reports include the head of the Forensic Medicine department of Sassoon General Hospital and the chief medical officer of the Sassoon Hospital.

During the investigation, it was revealed that the Chief Medical Officer reportedly replaced the blood samples on the direction of the HOD on 19th May at around 11 am. The CMO allegedly threw the blood samples in a dustbin of the hospital and sent the blood samples of another person to the forensic lab. As a result, the report showed no alcohol traces of the accused.

Mushrif said changing the blood samples is a very major and disappointing thing.

“Courts completely rely on the results of the blood test and postmortem reports. I had given directives to officials to teach the perpetrators a lifetime lesson. Thus, we have taken the (suspension) decision today,” the minister said.

On the role of the hospital employee, a government order stated that “The inquiry has found that Ghatkamble changed the blood samples of the juvenile on the night of May 19 and gave it in a sealed envelope. He has been remanded in police custody till May 30. As he would be staying in custody for more than 48 hours, Ghatkamble is suspended from duty."

Also read- Porsche Crash Case: Medical Council Issues Notice To Forensic Head, CMO Of Sassoon Hospital, DMER Launches Probe