Medical Professional’s Criminal Network Expands Beyond Evidence Tampering

Dr. Ajay Taware, currently serving time in Pune’s Yerawada Central Jail for manipulating blood samples in the notorious Porsche accident case, now faces additional charges related to an illegal kidney transplant operation. Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar announced that Taware will be formally charged as a co-conspirator in the organ trafficking scheme.

The kidney transplant investigation began when Dr. Sanjog Kadam, Deputy Director of the Health Services Board, filed a complaint regarding suspicious financial activities during transplant procedures. This complaint, lodged at Koregaon Park Police Station, triggered the formation of a special investigation committee led by a retired judge.

The committee’s comprehensive report, submitted to the state government, revealed Taware’s central role in the illegal organ trade. The investigation uncovered a sophisticated criminal enterprise involving medical staff, intermediaries, organ donors, and recipients, with 15 individuals currently implicated.

Documentation seized during the Porsche case investigation provided additional evidence linking Taware to the kidney racket. At the time of these illegal activities, he held a leadership position on an eight-member transplant approval committee, giving him significant influence over organ transplant decisions.

The Maharashtra Medical Council has suspended the medical licenses of both Dr. Ajay Taware and Dr. Shrihari Halnor in response to these developments. Taware’s career trajectory reveals a pattern of controversial involvement in organ transplant cases.

Previously serving as head of Forensic Medicine at Sassoon General Hospital, Taware was removed from his position in April 2022 following an illegal organ transplant incident at Ruby Hall Clinic. This case involved allegations from a widow who claimed she was offered 15 lakh rupees for her kidney. Despite this removal, Taware was reinstated as medical superintendent in December 2023, reportedly following a recommendation from former NCP(AP) MLA Sunil Tingre to Medical Education Minister Hasan Mushrif.

These revelations emerge against the backdrop of ongoing public anger over the May 19, 2024 hit-and-run incident. A 17-year-old son of builder Vishal Agarwal allegedly drove his Porsche into a motorcycle while intoxicated, killing IT professionals Aneesh Awadhia and Ashwini Koshta.

The case gained national prominence due to suspected cover-up attempts and the accused receiving bail within 15 hours. The scandal has since exposed multiple systemic failures, including Dr. Shrihari Halnor’s alleged role in switching blood samples under Taware’s direction.

This case highlights significant weaknesses in medical oversight and the potential for abuse of authority within healthcare institutions. The involvement of senior medical officials in both evidence tampering and organ trafficking raises serious questions about institutional integrity and regulatory effectiveness in Maharashtra’s medical system.