Pune Police made startling claims on Friday regarding the tragic Porsche crash that claimed the lives of two individuals. According to authorities, several family members of the accused, a teenager believed to have been intoxicated while driving the Rs 2.5 crore electric supercar, were also under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident.
The police alleged that the teen’s father, mother, and brother attempted to alter the blood test results by bribing doctors at the state-run Sassoon Hospital to replace the accused’s blood samples with those of family members. This alleged scheme aimed to misrepresent alcohol levels in order to “protect” the teenager from legal repercussions.
Initially, the plan involved using blood samples from the teen’s father or brother. However, both were found to be intoxicated, leading to the decision to substitute the mother’s sample instead. She has since been taken into custody. In a previous video message, the mother claimed a viral clip that appeared to show her son was manipulated and pleaded for police protection for him, visibly emotional during her address.
Eyewitnesses at the crash scene reported that the teenager was heavily intoxicated and struggled to maintain his balance. Surprisingly, the preliminary medical report recorded a ‘negative’ alcohol reading for him. The investigation has already resulted in the arrest of two doctors from Sassoon Hospital—Dr. Ajay Taware, who headed the Forensic Medicine Department, and Dr. Shrihari Halnor—for their involvement in the sample tampering.
Additionally, hospital staffer Atul Ghatkamble was also arrested, while two middlemen, Ashpak Makandar and Amar Gaikwad, were apprehended earlier.
Also read: India gets big push for permanent seat at UN Security Council
The efforts to manipulate blood samples extended to two other minors who were in the vehicle at the time of the crash, with Dr. Taware reportedly agreeing to accept Rs 2.5 lakh for facilitating the swap. Complications arose in these cases as blood types between one minor and his mother did not match, while the other minor’s mother also tested positive for alcohol.
Police chief Amitesh Kumar confirmed that local authorities initially mishandled the situation following the crash that occurred on May 19, which resulted in the deaths of 24-year-old software engineers Aneesh Awadhiya and Ashwini Koshta. The accused was reportedly celebrating his school exam results at local pubs, racking up a liquor bill of nearly ₹50,000, before losing control of the Porsche and causing the fatal accident. The bar that served the minors has since had its license revoked and premises sealed.
Allegations have surfaced that local police attempted to downplay the incident, leading to suspensions of two officers for failing to report the crash to their superiors in a timely manner. This ongoing investigation has now expanded to include charges of evidence destruction, corruption, and forgery against the teen and his family, alongside culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
