Bombay High Court Rejects Bail for 8 Accused in Pune Porsche Hit-and-Run Case; Allegations of Blood Sample Tampering Surface

Pune: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday rejected the bail petitions of eight accused in the high-profile Pune Porsche hit-and-run case, in which a speeding car collided with a two-wheeler last year in Kalyani Nagar, Pune, killing two individuals. Reports suggest the car was allegedly driven by a minor at the time of the incident.

Blood Sample Tampering Alleged
The accused include the father of the minor, Vishal Agrawal, Ashish Mittal, Aditya Sood, Arunkumar Singh, Ashfaq Makandar, and two doctors from Sassoon Hospital, Dr. Ajay Tavare and Dr. Shrihari Halnor. All face allegations of tampering with the minor’s blood sample to mask the presence of alcohol.

Doctors and Hospital Staff Implicated
The police had initially collected the minor’s blood sample at the hospital to determine alcohol content. It is alleged that the sample was substituted with blood from another person. Pune police claim that the doctors and hospital staff colluded with members of the accused minor’s family to manipulate the evidence.

Court Notes Risk of Witness Tampering
The court highlighted the seriousness of the offense, noting that the accused could influence witnesses. Special Public Prosecutor Shishir Hire argued that the tampering of the blood samples compromised crucial evidence. He further stated that some witnesses, being junior staff or financially vulnerable, could be intimidated by the powerful accused.

Multiple Accused Involved in Sample Substitution
Dr. Tavare and Dr. Halnor are specifically accused of swapping blood samples of both the minor driver and the minor passenger present during the accident. Dr. Tavare is the head of the Forensic Medicine Department, while Dr. Halnor serves as the Chief Medical Officer. Makandar allegedly acted as a middleman, facilitating the swap by introducing Vishal Agrawal to the doctors. Ashish Mittal and Aditya Sood reportedly colluded with others to provide their blood samples in place of the minors’, while Arunkumar Singh is accused of instructing them to do so.

The detailed judgment from the Bombay High Court is awaited, but the rejection of bail underscores the gravity of the case and the potential influence over witnesses.