In a significant development following a tragic accident in Pune, two doctors from the Sassoon General Hospital were arrested for tampering with evidence related to a fatal crash involving a Porsche driven by a teenager. The accident, which occurred on May 19, resulted in the deaths of two IT professionals.

Dr. Ajay Taware, head of the hospital's Forensic Medicine department, and Dr. Shrihari Halnor, the chief medical officer, were detained alongside Atul Ghatkamble, a hospital staff member who allegedly facilitated the evidence tampering. According to the Pune Crime Branch, Ghatkamble received Rs 3 lakh from an unidentified source, of which Rs 2.5 lakh was found with Halnor and Rs 50,000 with Ghatkamble himself.

The public prosecutor revealed in court that the accused used their positions for financial gain, altering the blood samples of the juvenile driver to impede the investigation. The tampered samples were swapped with those of another individual who had not consumed alcohol, leading to an erroneous Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report that initially showed no alcohol in the teen's system.

Suspicion arose when a second blood test at a different hospital, coupled with DNA tests, confirmed the samples did not match the teen driver. Investigations revealed that the original blood sample was disposed of in a dustbin, prompting further scrutiny and the subsequent arrests.

To address the scandal, the Maharashtra government has established a three-member panel to investigate the incident at Sassoon General Hospital. Medical Education Commissioner Rajiv Nivatkar has instructed Dr. Vinayak Kale, the hospital's Dean, to fully cooperate with the inquiry.

The case has highlighted significant lapses in medical and forensic procedures, prompting calls for stringent measures to ensure the integrity of evidence handling in sensitive investigations.