Pune Porsche Case So Far: 70 Calls Between Sassoon Doctor, MLA's Close Aide in Last 5 Months; 21 Cops Transferred

The Pune Police have found another piece of evidence linking the Sassoon hospital doctor, who is an accused in the Porsche crash case, and local MLA Sunil Tingre. It has emerged that 70 calls were exchanged between Dr Ajay Taware and a man, identified as Ashpak Makandar, who is known to be a close aide of the legislator whose name has come up several times since Day 1 of the case.

Not only this, the grandfather of juvenile accused has filed a plea before the court, saying his arrest on “kidnapping” charges is “illegal”. Other than that, he and his son, the 17-year-old boy’s father, have also been booked in a separate case of abetment to suicide. Also, as part of administrative action, 21 police personnel have been transferred since the case was registered and a probe started after May 19 night, when two IT professionals were killed when the luxury car rammed into their motorcycle.

Here is all you need to know about the latest developments in the case:

1. The investigation into the case has revealed that there were 70 phone calls exchanged between Dr Ajay Taware and Ashpak Makandar in the last five months. Makandar, who is a close aide of local MLA Sunil Tingre, is in police custody along with a man called Amar Gaikwad till June 10.
2. Makandar was arrested on June 3, after it was revealed that he had allegedly collected money from the teen’s father, Vishal Agarwal, and paid Dr Taware.
3. Surender Agarwal, the grandfather of the teenager accused in the case, has moved the high court against the Pune Police, alleging that his arrest on charges of kidnapping the driver was “illegal”. His petition stated that he was falsely implicated in this crime. The grandfather is presently in judicial custody for alleged kidnapping and wrongful confinement of their family driver, who was pressured to tell the police that he was behind the wheels when the fatal accident took place.
4. The petition further stated that investigating authorities on mere allegations and based on a complaint submitted after inordinate delay of five days, filed the case without following due procedure mandated under section 42A of the CrPC against the 77-year-old senior citizen (juvenile’s grandfather). It stated that the driver, after being released around 11 pm on May 20 from the Yerawada police station following investigation, was received by the petitioner (teen’s grandfather). Since he was frightened and devastated and there being risk to his life, it was mutually decided by both driver and the petitioner to go the latter’s home, said the plea.
5. It stated that the petitioner assured safety and protection of the driver and his family. The plea, calling the complaint by the driver as “concocted and bogus” in regards to his alleged abduction and wrongful confinement, prayed the HC to direct the police to immediately release the petitioner, and also sought strict action against cops.
6. At least 21 personnel of the Pune Police were transferred with immediate effect, including five assistant commissioners of police, five senior police inspectors, nine police inspectors and two sub-inspectors.
7. Police booked Vishal Agarwal and Surender Agarwal, as well as three others, in a separate case related to abetment of suicide of a businessman’s son in the city. According to the police, a complaint in this regard was registered by a man, DS Kature, who runs a construction business in Pune’s Vadgaon Sheri area, against one Vinay Kale, from whom his son Shashikant Kature, had taken a loan for construction work.
8. After he could not pay the loan on time, Kale allegedly started adding compounding interest to the principal amount and harassing Shashikant Kature. Fed up with constant harassment, Shashikant died by suicide in January, police said.
9. A case was registered against Kale under IPC sections 306 (abetment of suicide ) and 506 (criminal intimidation) at the Chandannagar police station. “During investigation, the role of the juvenile’s father (a builder), grandfather and three others cropped up in the suicide case. We have now added sections 420 (cheating) and 34 (common intention) of the IPC to the case,” said a police officer.
10. Real estate developer Vishal Agarwal and his wife are also in police custody in a case related to the swapping of the juvenile’s blood samples.

(With PTI inputs)