The Supreme Court on Monday granted bail to three accused in the high-profile 2024 Pune Porsche accident case, while delivering strong remarks on parental accountability in juvenile crimes.
A bench of Justices B.V. Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan, while allowing the bail pleas, expressed dismay over the lack of control exercised by parents over their children, particularly in cases involving underage driving and substance abuse.
“Substance abuse is another thing, but giving them [children] car keys and funds to have a gala time is unacceptable,” the bench observed.
The three individuals granted bail include Amar Santish Gaikwad, Aditya Avinash Sood (52), and Ashish Satish Mittal (37). All of them are accused in the alleged blood sample swapping conspiracy that followed the fatal Porsche crash in Pune’s Kalyani Nagar area on May 19, 2024.
Gaikwad, represented by advocate Sana Raees Khan, was allegedly the middleman who paid ₹3 lakh to a hospital staffer to replace the juvenile driver’s blood sample in an attempt to shield him from legal consequences.
Sood and Mittal, arrested on August 19, 2024, were accused of providing their blood samples to be used in place of the two minors who were in the car at the time of the accident. Their bail pleas were presented by senior advocates Siddharth Dave and Siddharth Agarwal.
The tragic incident occurred when a Porsche, allegedly driven by a 17-year-old boy under the influence of alcohol, rammed into two IT professionals in Pune, killing both on the spot.
The case stirred nationwide outrage, especially after the Juvenile Justice Board initially granted bail to the teenager on lenient terms, including a requirement to write a 300-word essay on road safety. Following a review petition by the Pune police, the JJB modified its order and sent the minor to an observation home. However, the Bombay High Court ordered his release in June 2024.
The blood sample tampering angle led to a wider investigation. In addition to the juvenile’s parents Vishal and Shivani Agarwal, doctors Ajay Tawre and Shreehari Halnor, Sassoon Hospital staffer Atul Ghatkamble, two middlemen including Gaikwad, and others were arrested in connection with the conspiracy.
On December 16, 2024, the Bombay High Court had rejected bail pleas of eight accused, including those now granted relief by the apex court.
With the Supreme Court now stepping in, the case continues to spotlight not only the failures of juvenile justice enforcement but also the deeper social issues surrounding privilege, parental responsibility, and institutional accountability.
