Fueling speculations of political meddling in the recent Posche car crash in Pune, the dean of the Sassoon Hospital has claimed on Wednesday that, Dr. Ajay Taware, one of the doctors accused of tampering with blood samples of the juvenile driver in custody had been appointed the head of the forensic department at the insistence of Maharashtra Medical Education Minister Hasan Mushrif and an NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) MLA Sunil Tingre.
Both the minister and the MLA are from the Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party which is a part of the ruling alliance in the state.
It has been reported that Tingre was also accused of visiting the Yerwada police station and pressuring officials to go easy on the case after the crash killed two IT professionals.
Pune Porsche Crash: What all did the hospital dean say?
While addressing a press conference on Wednesday, the hospital's dean, Dr Vinayak Kale, said a letter was written to him by Minister Hasan Mushrif and Mr Tingre recommending Dr Ajay Tawade for the position of the head of Sassoon Hospital's Forensic Medicine Department.
Following the press conference, Dr Kale was sent on compulsory leave by the Maharashtra government over “failing to take the case seriously” and “not taking proper decisions” as the dean.
Pune Porsche crash: Accused doctors arrested
Pune Crime Branch arrested Dr Ajit Tawade and Dr Shrihari Harnor, the Chief Medical Officer of Sassoon Hospital on Monday for allegedly replacing the accused teenager's blood samples with those of a doctor to ensure that no alcohol was detected in them.
It has been reported that Dr Ajay Taware, head of the hospital's Forensic Medicine department, allegedly gave Atul Ghatkamble, a peon of the Sassoon General Hospital, Rs 3 lakh to bribe Dr Shrihari Halnor, the second accused doctor. Out of Rs 3 lakh, police were able to recover Rs 2.5 lakh.
Both the doctors have been suspended while the contract of Dr Harnor has been terminated.
No one will be spared: CM Eknath Shinde on Pune car crash
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had said on Tuesday assured that he has been in constant touch with the Pune police commissioner.
"I have been in touch with the Pune police commissioner since day one. I have said right from the beginning that, irrespective of how influential the person is, there should be no discrimination. No matter how rich or poor a person is, the law is equal for all and no one will be spared. I have ordered strict action," he said.
