Court Extends Custody of Juvenile's Parents in Pune Car Crash Case

In a recent development from Pune, a local court has decided to extend the police custody of a couple implicated in a case involving the fatal accident of a Porsche car driven by their 17-year-old son. The custody of Vishal Agrawal, a realtor, his wife Shivani Agrawal, and another accused, Ashpak Makandar, has been extended until June 14. This decision comes in light of allegations surrounding the destruction of evidence and manipulation of blood samples following the tragic incident on May 19 in Kalyani Nagar, which resulted in the death of two IT professionals.

The police have raised suspicions that the juvenile's parents might have played a role in destroying the original blood samples to obscure their son's state at the accident time. It was alleged that the teenager was under the influence of alcohol during the crash. Shivani Agrawal was taken into custody on June 1 after it was discovered that her blood samples were substituted for her son's. Her husband was arrested for his alleged involvement in tampering with evidence.

The case also involves Ashpak Makandar, who is believed to have acted as an intermediary between the Agrawals and certain medical personnel at Sassoon Hospital, where the blood samples were initially collected. The prosecution's request to extend custody is based on the need for further interrogation and to facilitate confrontations among the accused to unearth more details about the case.

The investigation has unveiled that Makandar received Rs 4 lakh from the driver of Vishal Agrawal, out of which Rs 3 lakh was allegedly given to doctors at Sassoon Hospital for replacing the juvenile's blood samples. Authorities have recovered Rs 3 lakh from Dr. Srihari Halnor and hospital employee Atul Ghatkamble, with efforts ongoing to retrieve the remaining amount.

Two doctors and one staff member from Sassoon Hospital have been arrested and are currently under judicial custody for their involvement in this case. Despite these developments, the defense lawyer, Prashant Patil, argued against further extending the parents' custody, citing their already prolonged remand period. Meanwhile, the minor involved in the accident is currently placed in an observation home.

This case has drawn significant attention due to its implications on legal accountability and ethical standards within medical practices. As investigations continue, authorities are determined to piece together the events leading up to and following the tragic accident that claimed two lives.