Dr. Shrihari Halnor, embroiled in allegations of tampering with the blood sample of the teenage driver involved in the tragic May 19 Pune accident, faced dismissal from his position at Sassoon General Hospital in the city. The chief medical officer at the state-run hospital, where the minor underwent medical tests post-accident, was arrested on Monday along with Dr. Ajay Taware, the head of the hospital's Forensic Medicine department, and staff member Atul Ghatkamble.
The dean of Sassoon General Hospital promptly terminated Halnor's employment. Additionally, reports suggest that the Directorate of Medical Education and Research of Maharashtra is moving towards suspending Taware. The three individuals remain in police custody until Thursday.
Halnor's dismissal followed revelations that he allegedly received Rs 3 lakh from Ghatkamble, who worked under Taware. The accused admitted to accepting the money after authorities seized the cash from their official residences. Pune Crime Branch recovered Rs 2.5 lakh from Halnor and Rs 50,000 from Ghatkamble.
However, the source of the funds remains unclear.
Communication records reveal that before the minor's blood samples were collected, Vishal Agarwal, a real estate developer, and the teen's father, interacted with Dr. Taware via WhatsApp, FaceTime calls, and a general call. These communications occurred between 8.30 am and 10.40 am on May 19, preceding the blood sample collection at 11 am.
The arrests of the two doctors followed the disposal of the original blood sample in a dustbin. The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report, indicating no alcohol in the initial blood sample, raised suspicions. Subsequent tests at another hospital, along with DNA analysis, confirmed the presence of samples from two distinct individuals, prompting investigators to suspect evidence tampering to shield the accused juvenile.
Vishal Agarwal and the minor's grandfather, Surendra Agrawal, remain in custody until May 31.
