Supreme Court Grants Bail to Doctor in Pune Porsche Crash Blood Sample Swap Case
The Supreme Court of India on Friday granted bail to Dr. Ajay Aniruddha Taware, the suspended head of the forensic sciences department at Pune's Sassoon General Hospital. Dr. Taware was arrested on charges of conspiracy to swap the blood samples of the 17-year-old boy involved in the tragic Porsche car crash in Kalyaninagar on May 19, 2024, which resulted in the deaths of two young software engineers.
Court's Bail Order and Conditions
A bench comprising Justice B V Nagarathna and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan allowed Dr. Taware's appeal against the Bombay High Court's order of December 16, 2025, which had rejected his bail plea. The Supreme Court directed that Dr. Taware be produced before the trial court as early as possible for his release on bail, subject to appropriate conditions to ensure his presence in the proceedings related to FIR No. 306 of 2024.
The bench imposed strict conditions, stating: "The appellant shall extend complete cooperation in the trial of the instant case. The appellant shall not misuse his liberty in any manner. The appellant shall not make any attempt to contact the witnesses either directly or indirectly."
Background of the Porsche Crash Case
On May 19, 2024, around 2:30 AM in Kalyaninagar, Pune, a Porsche Taycan car hit a motorcycle, killing two software engineers. The police alleged that the minor boy, who was driving the car after partying at pubs in the Mundhwa area, had his blood sample replaced with that of his mother's as part of a conspiracy. Additionally, the blood samples of other minors accompanying him were swapped with those of co-accused individuals in exchange for money.
Arguments Presented in Court
Dr. Taware's lawyer argued before the Supreme Court that his client was on leave at the time of the alleged offence and should be granted bail on the principle of parity, as other co-accused had already been released. The lawyer emphasized that Dr. Taware had been in jail for nearly 21 months.
In contrast, the standing counsel for Maharashtra contended that although Dr. Taware might not have been on duty on the relevant day, he was a co-conspirator, making the allegations against him justified. The counsel argued that there was no merit in the appeal and it should be dismissed.
List of Accused and Bail Status
The case involves multiple accused, including:
- The teenage driver's father, a prominent builder
- The teen's mother
- Dr. Ajay Taware
- Dr. Shrihari Halnor, then chief medical officer at Sassoon Hospital
- A mortuary staffer at Sassoon Hospital
- Two agents, Ashpak Makandar and Amar Gaikwad, who facilitated the exchange of money
- The fathers of two other minors who accompanied the teen driver
- A friend of one of these fathers, who provided his blood sample as a replacement
Previously, the teenager driver's mother, the fathers of the two accompanying minors, and middlemen Makandar and Gaikwad had been released on bail by the Supreme Court. With Friday's order, six out of the ten accused are now out on bail, highlighting the ongoing legal proceedings in this high-profile case.
The Supreme Court's decision marks a significant development in the Pune Porsche crash case, which has drawn widespread attention due to the serious nature of the allegations and the involvement of medical professionals in the alleged evidence tampering.
