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Porsche crash blood sample swap: Two Sassoon docs, staffer suspended; dean sent on leave

ByVicky Pathare
May 30, 2024 02:10 AM IST

The suspension came within hours after the three-member committee constituted by the medical education department submitted its probe report to the authorities

The Maharashtra government on Wednesday suspended two doctors and a staffer of state-run Sassoon General Hospital (SGH) in connection with the alleged manipulation of blood samples of the minor driver involved in the Porsche car crash at Kalyaninagar on Monday 19.

The two doctors — Dr Ajay Taware, professor and head of forensic medicine department at BJ Medical College (BJMC) and Dr Srihari Halnor, casualty medical officer (CMO) at SGH – were suspended with immediate effect. (ANI Pic Service)
The two doctors — Dr Ajay Taware, professor and head of forensic medicine department at BJ Medical College (BJMC) and Dr Srihari Halnor, casualty medical officer (CMO) at SGH – were suspended with immediate effect. (ANI Pic Service)

The two doctors — Dr Ajay Taware, professor and head of forensic medicine department at BJ Medical College (BJMC) and Dr Srihari Halnor, casualty medical officer (CMO) at SGH – were suspended with immediate effect. Atul Ghatkamble, a Class IV staff working at Sassoon mortuary who was also arrested along with the two doctors on Monday, has also been suspended, according to officials.

The suspension came within hours after the three-member committee constituted by the medical education department submitted its probe report to the authorities.

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Speaking in Mumbai on Wednesday evening, medical education minister Hasan Mushrif said, “We have suspended the two Sassoon doctors based on the report submitted by the committee. We have also sent SGH dean Vinayak Kale on compulsory leave. The suspended doctors have been prohibited from private practice as well.”

Dr Taware, Dr Halnor and Ghatkamble were arrested on Monday for allegedly changing the blood samples of the minor boy involved in the Porsche car accident at Kalyaninagar. The minor accused allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol had mowed down two young engineers.

The trio staff at SGH allegedly threw away the minor’s blood samples and replaced them with that of another person.

The government-appointed panel headed by Dr Pallavi Saple, dean, JJ Hospital and Medical College visited SGH and BJMC on Tuesday and conducted the investigation. They later submitted the probe report to the state government through medical education commissioner Rajiv Nivatkar, recommending action against the two doctors.

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The suspension order has been given under the Maharashtra Civil Services (Discipline and. Appeal) Rules, 1979 and the tainted doctors will get subsistence allowance as per the Maharashtra Civil Services Rules 1981. Failure to follow rules will be deemed as to have committed misconduct and the duo will be ineligible for subsistence allowance, officials said.

BJMC dean sent on forced leave

The three-member committee recommended that Dr Vinayak Kale, dean BJMC and SGH, without considering the seriousness of the case did not handle the issue appropriately and recommended that he be sent on compulsory leave. The authorities accepted the panel’s suggestion.

Dr Kale has been sent on compulsory forced leave till further orders. Dr Chandrakant Mhaske, dean of Punyashlok Ahilya Devi Holkar Government Medical College, Baramati, will take additional charge as dean of BJMC and SGH till further orders, said officials.

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