The Pune Porsche crash has become one of India’s most controversial and emotionally charged legal cases. On July 15, 2025, the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) ruled that the teenage driver involved in the drunken crash that killed two tech professionals will not be tried as an adult, despite widespread demands from law enforcement and the public.
This decision came over a year after the deadly accident that shook Pune and the entire country. The incident is no longer just about a crash—it has become a mirror to India’s broken systems, where money, power, and political links can bend the law.
What Happened: The May 19, 2024 Crash
In the early hours of May 19, 2024, a luxury Porsche car, allegedly driven by a 17-year-old boy under the influence of alcohol, rammed into a motorcycle at high speed in Kalyani Nagar, Pune. The crash claimed the lives of:
- Ashwini Koshta,
- Aneesh Awadhia,
— both tech professionals originally from Madhya Pradesh.
Despite the gravity of the incident, the minor was granted bail within a day, under questionable conditions.
Outrage Over Juvenile Status & Legal Loopholes
The Pune Police had strongly requested that the Child in Conflict with Law (CCL) be tried as an adult, citing the heinous nature of the offense, including:
- Drunken driving,
- Overspeeding,
- Killing two people,
- Attempt to tamper with evidence post-crime.
However, on July 15, 2025, the JJB rejected the request, stating that the boy did not demonstrate adult-level mental maturity required for an adult trial, as per Section 15 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.
Underage Drinking & Irresponsibility
Investigations revealed that the boy was served alcohol at a well-known bar in Pune just hours before the crash. This has exposed the failure of establishments to verify the legal age of drinking, especially when serving high-profile patrons.
Blood Sample Swap Scandal
The crash quickly evolved from a traffic incident to a case of high-level tampering:
- The juvenile’s blood sample was swapped with that of his mother at Sassoon General Hospital.
- Doctors at the hospital allegedly accepted bribes from the family to do so.
This led to:
- The arrest of the boy’s mother (granted interim bail by the Supreme Court on April 22, 2025),
- Registration of a separate criminal case against:
- The parents,
- Two doctors from Sassoon,
- Two intermediaries,
- And others involved in the cover-up.
The Essay Controversy: Mockery of Justice?
As part of his bail condition, the minor was asked to submit a 300-word essay on road safety. The essay was later leaked and criticized by many as:
- Generic, lacking remorse,
- A symbolic penalty that trivialized the lives lost.
This ignited massive outrage and further criticism of how lightly the system was treating the accused.
Supplementary Charges Filed
On September 26, 2024, the Pune Police submitted a supplementary report to the JJB, which included additional charges of evidence destruction. The accused had already been booked under:
- IPC Section 304 (Culpable Homicide Not Amounting to Murder),
- Section 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act (Drunken Driving),
- And sections related to destruction of evidence and conspiracy.
Public Reaction: “Justice Delayed, Justice Denied”
The decision to not try the juvenile as an adult has:
- Shattered the faith of the victims’ families,
- Fueled nationwide protests and demands for reform in juvenile law,
- Raised concerns about the role of political clout and wealth in obstructing justice.
Citizens, activists, and legal experts have called this a miscarriage of justice. Many now demand that amendments be made in the JJ Act to reconsider mental maturity in light of post-crime behavior and intent to obstruct justice.
Legal Experts Speak
Legal experts argue that:
“When a juvenile consciously tampers with evidence, bribes officials, and manipulates systems post-crime — it shows adult-level comprehension of wrongdoing. Why shouldn’t such individuals face an adult trial?”
The Supreme Court may now be the final hope for a possible review of the JJB’s decision.
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