As a latest development in the continuously intensifying case over the recent Porsche crash in Pune that killed two IT professionals, a Pune forensic laboratory report on Wednesday confirmed that the blood samples of the mother were swapped with those of her accused 17-year-old son.
Furthermore, the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) also extended the teenager's observation home remand until June 12, while the parents' police custody got extended till June 10 by the sessions court.
The parents of the minor, along with the two doctors and the hospital employee, who were arrested over tampering with blood sample, were presented before District and Sessions Judge V R Kachare after the completion of their initial police custody. After hearing the arguments, the court extended the custody of the doctors and the hospital employee until June 7, and that of the parents till June 10.
Pune Porsche crash: Mother's blood sample swapped with accused son
The teen's mother, known as Shivani Agarwal, was taken into police custody on June 1 for alleged swapping of blood samples following the statements of other accused and circumstantial and technical evidence.
Shivani's blood samples were sent for DNA sampling to the FSL, and its report, received on Wednesday, confirmed that her blood samples had been sent to the FSL after the accident on May 19, the police told the court.
"We need police custody of both mother and father as these two accused hatched a conspiracy to destroy the evidence," assistant commissioner of police Sunil Tambe, the investigating officer, told the court.
Pune Poesche crash: Doctors arrested over tampering with blood samples
Taking into cognisance the allegations of tampering with the blood samples, police had earlier arrested two doctors and a hospital employee from Sassoon General Hospital. It is suspected that one of the doctors had been in communication with the teenager's father.
The tragic incident occurred in Kalyani Nagar, resulting in the deaths of two IT professionals after the Porsche, allegedly driven by the minor, collided with their two-wheeler.
Pune Porsche crash: Police sought extension of custody
Police had sought extension arguing that his parents were in police custody and the grandfather was in judicial custody in offences related to the May 19 accident.
"To avoid any adverse effect on the juvenile's mental health, it is advisable to continue the juvenile's stay at observation home as better care will be taken there," said the investigating officer in his submission.
If he was released, hurdles could be created in the probe with the help of relatives and evidence could be destroyed, the official claimed.
Police were also completing necessary formalities to make a case that the teenager should be prosecuted as an adult in the case, the official added.
Further remand was also necessary to complete the teenager's psychological counselling and counseling related to de-addiction, he said.
Advocate Patil, representing the teenager, objected, arguing there is no provision to extend the stay of a juvenile in observation home under the Juvenile Justice Act. But the board granted the police plea.
