Pune car crash case: Teen driver’s mother arrested for evidence tampering

Pune police have arrested the mother of the juvenile in the Porsche car accident case after confirmation that his blood samples were replaced with hers, the city police chief said on June 1. The city crime branch arrested her over the charges of allegedly providing her blood to replace her son’s sample during an alcohol test conducted after the incident at Sassoon General Hospital. 

Ms. Agarwal is accused of evidence tampering and is slated for interrogation around 11:30 a.m. Prior to her arrest, the Pune crime branch had taken her statement at the Agarwal residence. 

Police also interrogated hospital nurses, leading to the revelation of Ms. Agarwal’s role in the blood sample-swapping incident. As per the sources, police will produce Ms. Agarwal in court around 2 p.m. and demand seven days of police custody for further investigation.

Sassoon General Hospital’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Shrihari Halnor took the blood sample of the teen driver, said Pune police. Dr. Ajay Taware, head of the forensic medicine department, Dr. Shrihari Halnor, and a hospital staff member Atul Ghatkamble were arrested. 

Pune Porsche car crash: A speeding car, two deaths, and a cover-up

Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) blood sample report indicated no alcohol content, prompting suspicion. A second blood test at another hospital, along with DNA analysis, revealed that the samples belonged to different individuals. This led police to suspect that doctors at the Sassoon General Hospital may have tampered with the evidence to shield the accused boy.

Also read | Pune Porsche car crash: Teenager’s father, grandfather remanded in 14-day judicial custody

So far, the Pune Court has granted police custody of the doctors until May 5 and the minor’s father and grandfather were already in police custody, now under judicial custody until June 13 for further investigation.

Earlier, Ms. Agarwal appealed to the police to protect her son as the circulated video of the accident does not depict her son, labelling it as fake. 

On 19 May, the minor allegedly consumed alcohol at a club before recklessly speeding in a Porsche and colliding with a motorcycle, killing two IT professionals.