Pune: There is sufficient evidence relating to criminal conspiracy to prove the involvement of Dr Ajay Taware, suspended head of Sassoon General Hospital’s forensic science department, in the Porsche Taycan car crash case, the prosecution told a special court on Thursday.Taware is facing the charge of influencing suspended casualty medical officer Dr Shrihari Halnor and suspended mortuary staffer Atul Ghatkamble to swap the blood samples of the teenager involved in the accident on May 19, 2024, and his two friends.Opposing Taware’s discharge plea, special public prosecutor Shishir Hiray argued that the doctor claimed he was on leave on the day of the incident, but an examination of his call detail records showed that he was in touch with the suspended employees and influenced them to manipulate the blood alcohol tests of the three at the behest of their parents.Hiray submitted that witnesses gave statements and recorded confessional statements under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) before a magisterial court and these showed that Taware played a key role in the conspiracy.On the claims made by Taware that his arrest was illegal, the prosecution said that the chargesheet, remand reports, and case diary showed that he was communicated the reasons behind his arrest in writing and that his signature was also obtained on the arrest memo. The investigating officer, at the time of arresting the doctor, complied with the mandatory provisions of CrPC, he said.Judge K P Kshirsagar posted the hearing on June 10 when Taware’s lawyer will argue the matter.Taware was also arrested in the kidney swab transplant case on May 28, the prosecutor told the court, adding that the state health department and Sassoon hospital received complaints against him.
