A Year After Pune Porsche Accident, Grieving Families Still Await Justice
Pune, Maharashtra: It has been a year since a high-speed Porsche, allegedly driven by a drunk 17-year-old Vedant Agarwal, crashed into a motorbike in Pune’s upscale Kalyani Nagar area, killing two young software engineers — Anish Awadhiya and Ashwini Costa. Yet, justice remains out of reach for their grieving families.
The incident, which occurred in the early hours of May 19, 2024, shook the nation. It was not only the tragic loss of two lives that captured public attention but also the unfolding allegations of privilege, power, and tampering with evidence in an apparent bid to shield the minor accused.
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The crash took place around 2:30 am when Awadhiya and Costa were returning from a night out with friends. A Porsche, without a license plate and reportedly driven at high speed, rammed into their two-wheeler. The 17-year-old driver, from a wealthy and influential family, had allegedly consumed alcohol at two upscale hotels before taking the wheel. He was accompanied by two other minors and a driver.
Though he was briefly detained, the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) sparked outrage when it granted him bail within hours, instructing him to write a 300-word essay on road safety. The public backlash was swift and fierce, prompting police to seek a review. The JJB subsequently ordered the minor’s detention in an observation home. The Bombay High Court later ordered his release.
What followed was a disturbing narrative of systemic manipulation. Investigations revealed that the juvenile’s blood samples were allegedly swapped with those of his mother to mask evidence of intoxication. Police arrested the teenager’s father, Sassoon General Hospital doctors Ajay Taware and Shreehari Halnor, hospital staffer Atul Ghatkamble, and two middlemen — Bashpak Makandar and Amar Gaikwad — for facilitating the cover-up. Several others, including Aditya Avinash Sood, Ashish Mittal, and Arun Kumar Singh, were also arrested.
The father of one of the victims, Om Awadhiya, expressed deep frustration with the delay in justice. “A year has passed, but the trial is being stretched. Our son is no longer with us; nothing can compensate for that loss, but justice in this case would send a strong message against drunk driving and those who believe money and power put them above the law,” he said, as quoted by The New Indian Express.
The accused minor’s mother is currently out on interim bail, while others remain in custody. The prosecution, led by Special Public Prosecutor Shishir Hiray, has filed an application to frame charges. However, the trial has stalled as one of the accused — Dr. Taware — has moved the court seeking discharge from the case.
“It involves deliberate tampering with critical evidence. The system was manipulated, and we are committed to ensuring that those responsible are held accountable,” Hiray stressed.
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For many, the case has come to symbolise the nexus of wealth, influence, and legal loopholes. Police chief Amitesh Kumar suspended two Yerawada police officers for alleged preferential treatment of the accused, and the hotels that served alcohol to the minor are also under investigation.
The tragedy also renewed calls to enforce stricter penalties for drunk driving and underage drinking. Twelve months later, the families of the victims continue to mourn and fight.
