Supreme Court on Tuesday granted interim bail to the mother of the teen accused in the Pune Porsche crash case that killed two software engineers after the speeding car hit their motorbike.
The accused’s mother was charged and arrested for allegedly having fabricated evidence in order to save her son from any legal consequences.
The case stems from a tragic crash on May 19 last year, when a Porsche, allegedly driven by a 17-year-old boy under the influence of alcohol, collided with two IT professionals on a motorcycle in Pune’s Kalyani Nagar area.
The teenager, the son of a prominent real estate developer, has since been released from an observation home. While, ten other individuals— including his parents, Vishal and Shivani Agarwal, two Sassoon doctors, hospital staffer Ghatkamble, two alleged middlemen, and three others— remain in judicial custody as the investigation continues.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) suspended the medical registrations of Dr. Ajay Taware, former head of the forensic sciences department at Sassoon General Hospital, and Dr. Shrihari Halnor, a former casualty medical officer (CMO), on Monday.
The two doctors were facing trial for their involvement in swapping blood samples of a teenager connected to the Porsche Taycan car crash on May 19, 2024. The crash, which occurred in Kalyaninagar, claimed the lives of two young software engineers.
MMC administrator Dr. Vinky Rughwani confirmed that both doctors’ licenses were revoked due to malpractice, pending an ongoing inquiry. “Their registration as practicing doctors was suspended on grounds of unethical practice,” Rughwani said.
Dr. Taware and Dr. Halnor had been arrested on May 27, 2024, and were lodged in Yerawada Central Jail under judicial custody. The suspension came after the MMC received reports and documents from the Pune police and the medical education department, confirming their involvement in the blood sample swap. Halnor, who had attended to the teenager after the crash, allegedly swapped the blood samples on Taware’s instructions.
Rughwani stated that the suspension meant both doctors were barred from practicing or accepting medical jobs until the inquiry concluded.
The controversy began after blood tests conducted at Sassoon Hospital and Aundh District Hospital produced conflicting results. This discrepancy raised suspicions, and investigations revealed that Halnor had swapped the teenager’s blood sample with that of his mother, who was also a co-accused. The swap had been facilitated in exchange for money, with two middlemen and a mortuary staffer involved. All three were arrested and remained in custody.
Sassoon Hospital had already suspended Dr. Taware, Dr. Halnor, and the mortuary staffer following the revelations. The teenager’s father, a prominent builder, along with other co-accused, had also been jailed for their roles in the incident.
