Porsche Crash Case: Maha Govt Approves Prosecution of Forensic Head, CMO, staff of Sassoon Hospital
Pune: In the latest update on the Porsche car crash case in Pune where the head of the Forensic Medicine department and Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Pune-based Sassoon General Hospital were arrested for alleged manipulation of the blood sample of the teen driver, the Maharashtra government has informed a local court that it has permitted the Pune police to prosecute them and another staffer from the hospital.
According to a recent news agency report, these trio, the juvenile’s parents and two middlemen are currently in jail in the case. The three staffers of Sasson Hospital are accused of being involved in the swapping of the minor’s blood samples to nullify alcohol tests.
Medical Dialogues team had earlier 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. Later, the state government suspended them based on the recommendation of the Maharashtra Medical Education Department commissioner.
Special public prosecutor advocate Shishir Hiray told PTI, “We today (on Thursday) submitted to the court that police have received the state government’s sanction to prosecute Taware, Halnor and Ghatkamble in the case. Such sanction to prosecute or frame charges against government employees is mandatory."
Medical Dialogues had reported that no action was taken so far against the head of the Forensic Medicine department and Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Pune-based Sassoon General Hospital by the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) in connection with the alleged manipulation of the blood sample of the teen driver involved in the May 19 Porsche car crash case.
On May 2024 the MMC issued notices to both doctors after taking suo moto cognizance of the matter. In the notice, the council had demanded a written explanation within seven days from the two doctors providing details for their alleged negligence following which actions were said to be taken accordingly.
Although the council received responses from the doctors, it is currently unable to take action against them until it receives an official response from the Pune police Commissioner and the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) in the case.
Also read- Porsche Crash Case: Crime Branch opposes bail plea of suspended Forensic Head of Sassoon Hospital
