SC grants bail to accused in 2024 Pune Porsche accident case

The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted bail to Ashpak Basha Makandar , an accused in the 2024 Pune Porsche accident case , citing parity with co-accused who had already been released.

The case pertains to the tragic May 19, 2024 , incident in Pune’s Kalyani Nagar area, where a Porsche , allegedly driven by a 17-year-old under the influence of alcohol , fatally struck two IT professionals . Makandar had been in jail for 20 months , while three other accused in the case had already secured bail .

The bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan noted allegations that Makandar facilitated a criminal conspiracy to tamper with medical evidence by swapping the blood samples of the minors in the car with those of their guardians at the hospital. His counsel argued that he was similarly placed to co-accused who had already been granted bail. The court agreed, granting bail on parity grounds , ensuring consistent treatment among all accused.

The case has seen several developments over the past two years. Initially, the Juvenile Justice Board granted bail to the 17-year-old driver under lenient conditions, including writing an essay on road safety, which sparked nationwide outrage. The Pune police challenged this decision, and the minor was later sent to an observation home and subsequently released . Meanwhile, parents, hospital staff, and middlemen accused of tampering with blood samples were arrested and sent to jail . The Bombay High Court had earlier rejected multiple bail pleas , while the Supreme Court gradually granted bail to some accused, citing custody periods and parity among co-accused.

Earlier, on February 2 , the Supreme Court had granted bail to three accused, Amar Santish Gaikwad , Aditya Avinash Sood , and Ashish Satish Mittal , who had been in custody for 18 months . The court had remarked that parents bore responsibility in incidents involving juveniles, as they often have limited control over their children.

The case continues to highlight concerns around juvenile accountability, parental responsibility, and medical evidence tampering, as authorities navigate one of Pune’s most closely watched legal proceedings in recent years.