Pune Porsche crash case: In a case raising serious concerns about political interference, the dean of Pune’s Sassoon Hospital, Vinayak Kale, has confirmed that Dr Ajay Tawade was appointed as the head of the Forensic Medicine Department at the behest of state minister Hasan Mushrif and MLA Sunil Tingre.

This appointment is linked to a recent scandal where Dr Ajay Tawade and another doctor, Dr Shrihari Harnor, were arrested for allegedly tampering with blood samples following a fatal car crash involving a teenager in Pune.

The incident, which occurred on May 19, involved a 17-year-old driving a Porsche at high speed and causing the deaths of two IT professionals, Aneesh Awadhiya and Ashwini Koshta.

The teenager, who had allegedly been drinking to celebrate his Class 12 results, was found to have driven the car at over 150 kmph. The crash led to an investigation where it was revealed that the blood samples of the teenager were allegedly swapped with those of a doctor to ensure no alcohol was detected.

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Dean Vinayak Kale stated at a press conference that both Dr Ajay Tawade and Dr Srihari Harnor have been removed from their positions, and a peon, Atul Ghatkamble, who facilitated the bribe, has been suspended.

The Maharashtra Medical Education Minister Hasan Mushrif and MLA Sunil Tingre are implicated in the scandal for their roles in appointing Dr Ajay Tawade to his position.

Nana Patole, Maharashtra Congress President, accused the legislator’s son of involvement in the accident and alleged collusion between the police, politicians and influential individuals to manipulate the investigation.

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Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has vowed strict action, ensuring that the law will apply equally regardless of an individual’s influence or status. The teenager involved in the crash, who was under the legal age for driving and drinking, has been sent to a remand home, and his father is in police custody.

The Maharashtra Government has set up a committee chaired by Dr Pallavi Sapale to investigate the alleged tampering of blood samples, signalling serious intent to address the issue comprehensively and transparently.