Pune accident case: 2 doctors arrested on charges of manipulating blood samples, evidence destruction

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The Pune police have arrested two doctors of the Sassoon General Hospital here for alleged manipulation of blood samples and destruction of evidence in the case of a car accident involving a 17-year-old boy, officials said on Monday, reported news agency PTI.

Those arrested include head of the forensic department of the hospital, they said.

Pune accident case: Arrested for alleged manipulation

"They have been arrested for alleged manipulation of blood samples and destruction of evidence in the case," a senior police official said, reported PTI.

Those held have been identified as Dr Ajay Taware and Shrihari Harnor, the official said, reported PTI.

The case is currently being probed by the crime branch.

Two IT professionals died after their motorcycle was hit by a speeding Porsche allegedly driven by the minor in the early hours of May 19, reported PTI.

Pune accident case: Teenager was drunk

The police claim the teenager was drunk at the time of the accident.

The teenager was initially granted bail by the Juvenile Justice Board, which also asked him to write an essay on road accidents, but following outrage over the lenient treatment and a review application by the police, he was sent to an observation home till June 5, reported PTI.

The police have arrested the teenager's father, who is a realtor, and his grandfather in connection with the accident.

Pune accident case: Minor's grandfather arrested; family put pressure on driver to take blame, say cops

Pune police on Saturday arrested the grandfather of the 17-year-old involved in a car crash here that killed two persons while claiming that both the teenager's father and grandfather put pressure on the family's driver to take blame for the accident by offering him money and giving threats, reported PTI.

The teenager's grandfather Surendra Agarwal was arrested for 'illegal confinement' of the driver, and a court subsequently remanded him in police custody till May 28. The minor's father, in judicial custody in another case registered in connection with the May 19 accident, too was named in the First Information Report, reported PTI.

"After the accident, the driver gave a statement at the Yerawada police station that he was at the wheel....But it was revealed that the teen was driving the car," police commissioner Amitesh Kumar told reporters.

After the driver left the Yerawada police station, the teenager's father, realtor Vishal Agarwal and his grandfather whisked him in a car to his house on the premises of their bungalow, confiscated his phone and confined him there, the senior police official said, reported PTI.

"He was pressured to give a statement to police as per their directions," Kumar said, adding that the driver was offered gifts and cash for owning up the crash of the Porsche driven by the teenager, and also threatened, reported PTI.

The Agarwal family offered to pay the driver "any amount he quoted," the commissioner said, adding that his wife reached the place the next day and freed him.

"The driver was frightened. He was summoned and his statement was recorded on Thursday (May 23). After corroboration of facts, an offence was registered against the juvenile's father and grandfather (on the driver's complaint)," Kumar said, reported PTI.

Vishal Agarwal and his father were booked under Indian Penal Code sections 365 (kidnapping) and 368 (wrongfully concealing or keeping in confinement). Police will seek Vishal's custody in the case from the court on Monday, reported PTI.

The driver gave a statement to the police saying he was not driving the car when it knocked down two IT professionals on a motorbike in Kalyani Nagar area of the city in the early hours of May 19, the commissioner said.

The driver and his family will be provided police protection, Kumar added.

Investigation so far has shown that the juvenile, while being drunk, was driving the car, the commissioner had said earlier.

(With inputs from PTI)