Dr. Ajay Taware, the former head of forensic sciences at Sassoon General Hospital who was arrested, was reinstated as medical superintendent in April following recommendations from medical education minister Hasan Mushrif and NCP MLA Sunil Tingre. As a result, Dean Dr. Vinayak Kale was placed on compulsory leave Wednesday evening, shortly after he revealed information that added new details to the Porsche Taycan accident case.
Taware, who is in custody along with casualty medical officer Dr. Shrihari Halnor and mortuary staffer Atul Ghatkamble for allegedly manipulating an alcohol test in an accident case involving a Pune builder’s 17-year-old son, had previously been removed from the position of medical superintendent due to his suspected involvement in a kidney racket at the state-run hospital.
The action against Kale followed a state government order directing the Directorate of Medical Education and Research to establish a committee to investigate malpractice related to the Porsche case. The order mentioned that Dr. Kale failed to grasp the seriousness of the incident and did not manage the situation properly. As a result, the committee recommended that Dr. Kale be placed on compulsory leave.
In a separate order, the state government suspended Taware and Halnor under the Maharashtra Civil Services (Conduct) Rules 1979. During their suspension, they are prohibited from practicing medicine and investing in any business. Ghatkamble, a Class IV employee, was also suspended for violating service rules.
Mushrif told reporters in Mumbai that he recommended Taware’s reinstatement as medical superintendent based on a letter from MLA Tingre. He stated that the dean should have informed him that the doctor had not been cleared of previous allegations.
A minister stated that he could not be aware of everything and mentioned that he was out of the country from May 11 to 24. He learned about the accident and the substitution of the underage driver’s blood sample only upon his return.
Earlier that day, during a press conference, the hospital dean was questioned about Taware’s reinstatement as medical superintendent, despite an ongoing investigation against him in a 2022 kidney racket case. Kale referred to the minister’s comments on an MLA’s letter, explaining that Dr. Ajay Taware was reinstated because he was a professor, while the superintendent at the time was not, in accordance with NMC norms. The dean clarified that his decision to reinstate Taware was based solely on the minister’s written recommendation.
When asked if he informed Mushrif about Taware’s investigation in the kidney racket, Kale mentioned that the government was already aware of the allegations. He learned about the arrests on the morning of May 27 from his superintendent and through the media. As dean, he directed the superintendent to provide all necessary information to the government, emphasizing that such incidents harm the reputation of the prestigious institute.
Also Read: Pune Porsche Crash: 14 Calls Between Doctor And Accused’s Father In Blood Sample Tampering Case
