INTRODUCTION
The Supreme Court has issued notice to the Maharashtra government on the bail applications of two accused in the high-profile Pune Porsche car crash case of May 2024, in which two young IT professionals lost their lives. The case, which has made headlines from coast to coast due to allegations of evidence tampering and influence peddling, reached a critical juncture with the prosecution promising confidently that the long-awaited trial would start in 2026 despite the repeated creation of legal obstacles by the defence side.
BACKGROUND
The accident took place at 2:30 am on May 19, 2024, when a Porsche Taycan, which the police believe was driven by a 17-year-old boy in an inebriated state, rammed into a motorcycle near Kalyani Nagar, Pune. Aneesh Awadhiya and Ashwini Koshta, both IT engineers from Madhya Pradesh, were killed in this collision. Both were 24 years old.
The minor driver and his friends were reportedly returning from a late-night party celebrating their Class 12 examination results. The matter first caused outrage when a bail was accepted by the Juvenile Justice Board with lenient terms, which included a 300-word article on road safety. After which it was reviewed in light of criticism, where it was decided to send the juvenile to an observation home, but was eventually released in compliance with a Bombay High Court Order in June 2024. Thereafter, in July 2025, the JJB rejected the police’s plea to try the minor as an adult.
KEY POINTS OF THE CASE
What started as an investigation into a road accident soon snowballed into a criminal conspiracy of impersonation of identity and falsification of evidence. The police contended that blood samples of the minor co-passengers were illicitly replaced at Sassoon General Hospital to cover up alcohol consumption.
As many as 10 accused were arrested in connection with the alleged cover-up, including:
- The parents of the minor driver
- Doctors Ajay Taware and Shrihari Halnor
- Hospital staffer Atul Ghatkamble,
- Middlemen Ashpak Makandar and Amar Gaikwad, and
- Others, including Aditya Avinash Sood (52) and Ashish Satish Mittal (37), whose blood samples were allegedly used instead of the blood samples of the minor co-passengers.
The accused were booked for tampering with evidence, forgery, criminal conspiracy, and corruption. The prosecution filed the charge sheet in August 2024 and draft charges in October 2024.
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
A Bench comprising Justice B.V. Nagarathna and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan issued notice to the Maharashtra government on January 7, 2026, on bail pleas filed by Sood and Mittal challenging the Bombay High Court’s order dated December 16, 2025, rejecting bail to eight accused.
Senior Counsel, appearing for one of the accused, submitted that the investigation was over, a supplementary chargesheet had been filed in November 2024, and that continued custody was unnecessary. One of the accused has also cited serious medical problems, which include multiple cardiac events. The families of the victims represented by Advocate Manan Verma opposed this bail and were allowed by the Supreme Court to intervene before it. The matter has been listed for further hearing on January 30, 2026.
Meanwhile, Special Public Prosecutor Shishir Hiray, speaking in December 2025, said that the defence has repeatedly resorted to “delaying tactics”, including demanding extensive CCTV footage from Sassoon Hospital. The prosecution, however, said trial proceedings are likely to start in 2026. Hiray also expressed concern about the vulnerability of witnesses and the alleged influence sought to be exerted over them by these accused, who hailed from influential and affluent backgrounds.
CONCLUSION
The Pune Porsche case has intensified to become one of the most publicized trials for alleged widespread manipulation of evidence and abuse of authority. With the Supreme Court intervening in their bail pleas and the prosecution urging faster charging, the coming months will be decisive. While the justice system seeks to strike a balance between personal liberty and integrity of criminal trials, this case is also being widely watched for its implications on issues of accountability, power, privilege and the rule of law.
“PRIME LEGAL is a full-service law firm that has won a National Award and has more than 20 years of experience in an array of sectors and practice areas. Prime legal falls into the category of best law firm, best lawyer, best family lawyer, best divorce lawyer, best divorce law firm, best criminal lawyer, best criminal law firm, best consumer lawyer, best civil lawyer.”
WRITTEN BY: USIKA K
