Pune Porsche crash: Minor’s original blood sample, syringe missing; custody of parents extended till June 5
Earlier it was revealed that Dr Srihari Halnor, casualty medical officer (CMO) at Sassoon General Hospital (SGH), threw the blood sample of the minor in a dustbin. However, during the investigation, it became clear that the syringe and blood sample were handed over to an unidentified person
A Pune court on Sunday remanded the parents of the juvenile allegedly involved in the Porsche car accident in police custody till June 5 for tampering with evidence after an investigation found the minor’s blood sample had been replaced with his mother’s.
During its submission prosecution said that the original blood sample of the juvenile and the syringe used to take the blood sample is an important part of the investigation and it is still missing. Earlier it was revealed that Dr Srihari Halnor, casualty medical officer (CMO) at Sassoon General Hospital (SGH), threw the blood sample of the minor in a dustbin. However, during the investigation, it became clear that the syringe and blood sample were handed over to an unidentified person.
The first blood sample was taken at 11am on May 19 after the accident involving the 17-year-old who hit Porsche into a bike killing two young techies Aneesh Awadhiya and Ashwini Kosht at Kalyaninagar.
The crime branch on June 1 arrested the juvenile’s 49-year-old mother and 50-year-old father for their alleged involvement in blood sample exchange with that of the juvenile’s sample at SGH.
Earlier, on May 27, police arrested two suspended doctors from SGH Ajay Taware and Halnol, and a staffer Atul Ghatkamble for alleged manipulation of the blood samples of the minor.
During the arguments, Sunil Tambe, assistant commissioner of police, told the court, “It is still unclear where the original blood sample of the juvenile has been kept. Police want to investigate to whom the original sample was handed over and where it is. So, we need police custody of these accused.’’
Tambe said, they have seized CCTV footage and DVR from SGH and multiple people on the radar are suspected to be involved in the manipulation of the blood sample of the minor accused.
“There is a missing link between the juvenile’s father and doctors from SGH and so we also want to investigate the same,” he said.
Public prosecutor Nitin Konge in her submission said that there is a nexus between these accused and police wants to confront all the accused together.
“Blood sample of the juvenile’s mother was collected on whose directions? What is the reason behind it? We want to identify more accused involved in the case to establish a chain of events,’’ he said.
The couple’s lawyer, Prashant Patil, submitted that the police have already searched their house and recovered the footage of CCTV installed at their residence.
“My clients are cooperating with the investigating agencies, so there is no need for police custody,” Patil said.
The CCTV from the bungalow recovered has been formatted. We want to investigate the same, said police.
Earlier, the police booked the boy’s father for allowing him to drive the car without a valid license.
In another case, he is booked for wrongful confinement and coercion of the family driver to take the blame for the accident.