Two Doctors Arrested for Manipulating Blood Test Report in Pune Porsche Case

In a shocking development in the Pune Porsche horror case, two doctors have been arrested for allegedly manipulating the blood test report of a 17-year-old, whose late-night drunk driving left two 24-year-old software engineers dead.

Dr. Ajay Tawade and Dr. Hari Harnor of Sasoon Hospital have been arrested by the Pune Crime Branch, which is investigating the case that has sparked nationwide outrage. Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar revealed that the blood samples collected at the hospital and sent for forensic tests were not of the juvenile accused. "This means the sample was replaced."

"On the morning of May 19, a blood sample taken at Sassoon Hospital was thrown in a dustbin, and the blood sample of another person was sent to the forensic lab. CMO Srihari Halnor replaced this blood sample on the instructions of Ajay Tawade, the head of the forensic medicine department at Sassoon Hospital," Mr. Kumar stated.

The phones of both doctors have been seized. The investigation revealed that Dr. Tawade and the teen accused's father spoke over the phone on the day of the accident, according to Mr. Kumar.

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

Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar earlier stated, "This case is not about an accident caused by a mistake under the influence of alcohol. Our case is that he had full knowledge that his conduct—partying in two bars and rashly driving a car without a number plate on a narrow, congested street—could result in fatalities."

The city police chief also mentioned that two blood samples of the teen were tested at different times after the accident to ensure accurate results. The first blood sample had no alcohol, but the second did. This discrepancy raised suspicions, leading to a DNA test that revealed the samples were from different people, confirming that the minor's blood sample had been switched to omit any mention of alcohol.

The teen belongs to a prominent realtor's family, and it is alleged that his father and grandfather tried to influence the legal process to shield him. The teen's father has been arrested under charges of the Juvenile Justice Act. His grandfather has also been arrested after the family's driver claimed he was confined at their home, threatened, and asked to take the blame for the accident. Other arrests in the case include staff of the two bars the teen visited that night. The arrest of the doctors and allegations of sample manipulation further strengthen the charge that the family used money and influence to protect the teen.

The tragic incident resulted in the deaths of Ashwini Kostha and Anish Awadhiya, who were on a bike when the Porsche hit them from behind. They died on the spot. The boy was initially granted bail within 15 hours of the accident under conditions seen as lenient: he was asked to write a 300-word essay on road accidents, work with traffic cops for 15 days, and seek counseling for his drinking habit.

Amid nationwide outrage, the Juvenile Justice Board later modified the order and sent him to the observation home. The police have requested the board's permission to try the teen accused—aged 17 years and eight months—as an adult. The matter is currently under examination. The families of the two engineers have called the incident "murder, not an accident" and are seeking stringent punishment for the accused.