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Porsche case showed how elites protect juveniles for their misadventures: Pune Police chief

The case involved a minor allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol late at night and crashing into two IT professionals in Kalyani Nagar in Pune, leading to their deaths.

Porsche case showed how elites protect juveniles for their misadventures: Pune Police chief'The Pune Porsche case, of course, brought to light a lot of systemic corruption in various organs of the government': Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar (File photo)

Speaking at the launch of the Status of Vulnerability to Addiction in Pune City Report by Jnana Prabhodhini Institute of Psychology, Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar on Friday said that the infamous Porsche case of 2024 showed how elites protect juveniles accused for their misadventures.

The case involved a minor allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol late at night and crashing into two IT professionals in Kalyani Nagar in Pune, leading to their deaths.

Kumar said, “I always attribute the infamous Porsche case to this addiction and acceptability amongst the higher strata of society allowing children of their family to do certain acts and then protect him for his misadventures, is what was clearly evident in the Porsche case.”

He added, “The Pune Porsche case, of course, brought to light a lot of systemic corruption in various organs of the government. But yet the optimism was that the same system had its well oiled system of checks and balances which are able to put the culprits to the extent that the father and the mother and the doctors languished in Yerwada Jail for approximately two years for their misdeeds. The idea was that there has to be deterrence strong enough for people to realise that any misadventure could land them and their family members into a great sort of a problem.”

Talking about voluntary compliance with laws, the police commissioner said that motor vehicle rules were easiest to comply with, yet they were not being followed. He said, “Jumping a red light would not even save you 15 seconds. Not wearing a helmet is again (going against) a globally accepted principle and helmet protects the upper part of the body against fatality. Apart from the kick which one might get, there is no other objective people are trying to achieve. Yet we see that these easier set of rules are violated on such a large scale. This actually shows the health of the city. I might be sounding pessimistic but what I’m saying is we need a revolution today.”

Soham Shah is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Pune. A journalism graduate with a background in fact-checking, he brings a meticulous and research-oriented approach to his current reporting. Professional Background Role: Correspondent coverig education and city affairs in Pune. Specialization: His primary beat is education, but he also maintains a strong focus on civic issues, public health, human rights, and state politics. Key Strength: Soham focuses on data-driven reporting on school and college education, government reports, and public infrastructure. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His late 2025 work highlights a transition from education-centric reporting to hard-hitting investigative and human-rights stories: 1. Investigations & Governance "Express Impact: Mother's name now a must to download birth certificate from PMC site" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant policy change by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following his earlier reports on gender inclusivity in administrative documents. "44-Acre Mahar Land Controversy: In June, Pune official sought land eviction at Pawar son firm behest" (Nov 9, 2025): An investigative piece on real estate irregularities involving high-profile political families. 2. Education & Campus Life Faculty crisis at SPPU hits research, admin work: 62% of govt-sanctioned posts vacant, over 75% in many depts (Sept 12, 2025): An investigative piece on professor vacancies at Savitribai Phule Pune University. "Maharashtra’s controversial third language policy: Why National Curriculum Framework recommends a third language from Class 6" (July 2): This detailed piece unpacks reasons behind why the state's move to introduce a third language from class 1 was controversial. "Decline in number of schools, teachers in Maharashtra but student enrolment up: Report" (Jan 2025): Analyzing discrepancies in the state's education data despite rising student numbers. 3. Human Rights & Social Issues "Aanchal Mamidawar was brave after her family killed her boyfriend" (Dec 17, 2025): A deeply personal and hard-hitting opinion piece/column on the "crime of love" and honor killings in modern India. "'People disrespect the disabled': Meet the man who has become face of racist attacks on Indians" (Nov 29, 2025): A profile of a Pune resident with severe physical deformities who became the target of global online harassment, highlighting issues of disability and cyber-bullying. Signature Style Soham is known for his civil-liberties lens. His reporting frequently champions the rights of the marginalized—whether it's students fighting for campus democracy, victims of regressive social practices, or residents struggling with crumbling urban infrastructure (as seen in his "Breathless Pune" contributions). He is adept at linking hyper-local Pune issues to larger national conversations about law and liberty. X (Twitter): @SohamShah07 ... Read More


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