Doctor accused in Pune Porsche crash held in kidney racket

A first Information Report (FIR) in the kidney transplant malpractice case was lodged at Koregaon Park police station on May 11, 2022. Police said a woman, Sarika Sutar from Kolhapur, had been facing financial problems and allegedly agreed to give her kidney to Amit Salunkhe of Moshi (in Pimpri Chinchwad) by posing as his wife Sujata Salunkhe for Rs 15 lakh offered to her by two “agents”. A “kidney swap operation” was performed at the Pune based Ruby Hall Clinic in March 2022, when Sarika’s kidney was given to a woman hailing from Baramati, while the kidney of Baramati woman’s mother was given to Amit Salunkhe.

Police said kidney swapping is allowed once all legal norms are fulfilled, but any financial transaction and forgery in doing so is illegal. After the kidney swap, Sarika did not receive the money she was promised. So she complained to Pune city police and Ruby Hall Clinic authorities.

After a preliminary probe, police referred the matter to the state health department, which submitted its inquiry report to a court in Pune. Based on directions issued by the court, a case was registered at Koregaon Park police station under the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994, along with Indian Penal Code sections pertaining to cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy.

Dr Sanjog Kadam, Deputy Director of Medical Services, Pune, lodged the FIR in this case. Police initially booked 15 people, including Sarika, Amit Salunkhe, hsi real wife Sujata, alleged “agents” Ravi Rodge and Abhijit Gathne as well as senior management members and doctors of Ruby Hall Clinic.

The FIR stated that fake documents were submitted to the hospital for kidney transplant. In these documents, allegedly prepared by the “agents”, Sarika Sutar posed as Amit’s wife Sujata Salunkhe.

The FIR held the Ruby Hall authorities and doctors responsible, claiming they did not thoroughly scrutinise the documents and sent them to the Regional Authorisation Committee at Sassoon General Hospital.

Police said Dr Taware had been heading this Regional Authorisation Committee and he allegedly allowed the “kidney swap transplant” without the forged documents being verified submitted by the kidney donor (Sarika) and organ receiver Amit.

Police told the court on Thursday that Sarika appeared as Sujata Salunkhe before the committee headed by Taware. Police said Sarika did not give satisfactory answers to the committee. There were discrepancies in her statements pertaining to property and previous medical treatments she received from Amit Salunkhe. Police said Sarika’s behaviour before the committee was suspicious, Besides, it was visible her age was different from the actual age of Sujata Salunkhe. Still, the committee headed by Taware allowed the fake person for the “kidney swap operation”, police said.

Police sought Taware’s custody for seven days to probe if he was involved in any malpractices in the nine kidney swap transplants held during his tenure as head of the Regional Authorisation Committee at Sassoon hospital.

Earlier, the police had arrested two agents or middlemen Ravi Rodge and Abhijit Gathne in this case. Police informed the court that chargesheet was filed against the duo on July 11, 2022. Also, a supplementary chargesheet was filed against Sarika Sutar, Amit Salunkhe and two others on October 10, 2022.

Police told the court that charesheet was not filed against authorities and doctors of Ruby Hall Clinic as they were found involved in any illegal financial transactions acts in this case and had conducted the “swap kidney operation” legally. Police said one Bhau Sawant is a wanted accused, while Amit’s real wife Sujata was not chargesheeted.

Meanwhile, last month, the Maharashtra Medical Council suspended the medical licence of Dr Ajay Taware, for “gross misconduct and breach of medical ethics”, following his alleged involvement in the Pune Porsche crash case.

ACP Ganesh Ingle of crime branch is investigating the case further.

Role in Porsche crash case

Two IT engineers lost their lives after the minor driver of a Porsche car allegedly crashed his vehicle into them, leading to their deaths, on May 19, 2024.

The police investigation revealed that when the minor driver, the son of a prominent realtor, was taken to Sassoon Hospital after the accident for a medical examination, his blood sample was allegedly replaced with his mother’s. The police arrested the minor’s parents and others including Dr Taware for their alleged role in swapping blood samples. A DNA report on August 9, 2024, confirmed blood samples of two friends of the minor driver were also swapped at the hospital.