Pune Police File Chargesheet in Porsche Crash Case Involving Teen Driver and Seven Others
Pune, 26th July 2024: On Friday, the Pune police submitted their initial chargesheet in court concerning the Porsche crash incident of May 19. The chargesheet implicates seven individuals, including the father and mother of the teenager involved, both of whom are city-based, a builder, two doctors, and three staff members from Sassoon General Hospital, who are currently suspended.
The individuals named in the chargesheet are the teenager’s father and mother, Dr. Ajay Taware and Dr. Shrihari Halnor, mortuary attendant Atul Ghatkamble, and two intermediaries, Ashfaque Mankandar and Amar Gaikwad. Dr. Taware was the head of the forensic sciences department, and Dr. Halnor served as the casualty medical officer at the hospital.
According to the police, Dr. Halnor, acting on Dr. Taware’s orders, disposed of the teenager’s blood sample, which was subsequently replaced with a sample from the minor’s mother. A senior police officer, who reviewed the chargesheet, stated, “We have detailed that the teenager’s parents bribed public officials, who then conspired to manipulate the blood test results with the help of the two intermediaries.”
The crash occurred on May 19, when the teenager was allegedly driving the car while returning home to Wadgaon Sheri after a night out at pubs in Mundhwa.
Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar remarked, “At this stage, I will not comment extensively on the evidence regarding individual roles. We consider all seven accused as part of a conspiracy to destroy evidence and manipulate the teenager’s blood alcohol test through bribery.”
Commissioner Kumar added, “Our request for authorization to prosecute the three public officials is pending with the state authorities. For now, we have filed the initial chargesheet and will continue with the investigation. A final report concerning the child in conflict with law (CCL) has already been submitted to the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB).”
The preliminary chargesheet was filed under section 173 (8) of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Shailesh Balkawade noted, “We will file a supplementary chargesheet once we receive additional reports, including those related to DNA profiling.”
The chargesheet includes statements from 50 witnesses, various CCTV footage, panchanama reports, crash impact assessments, and reports from the Forensic Sciences Laboratory. “These include eyewitness accounts,” Balkawade confirmed.
Public prosecutor Shishir Hiray stated, “The preliminary chargesheet is a thorough document that encompasses all evidence gathered so far, presenting a strong case.”
The chargesheet lists multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Prevention of Corruption Act, and the Motor Vehicles Act, reflecting the serious nature of the alleged offences.
The chargesheet cites sections 304, 279, 337, 338, 427, 120(b), 201, 213, 214, 466, 467, 468, 471, 109, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code, sections 7, 7(a), 8, 13, and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, and sections 184, 185, 119, and 177 of the Motor Vehicles Act.
The investigation continues as the police seek to gather more evidence and bring those responsible to justice.
