Looking ahead at 2026: Confident that trial in Pune Porsche crash case will begin next year despite defence’s ‘tactics’, says SPP

The lives of young IT engineers Awadhiya and Koshta, both Madhya Pradesh natives aged 24, ended abruptly at 2.30 am on May 19 last year when a speeding Porsche Taycan allegedly driven by a 17-year-old from an influential Pune realtor family, rammed into their motorcycle at Kalyani Nagar Junction. The accident took place after the minor and his friends celebrated their Class 12 exam results at a pub. The luxury car allegedly driven by the minor did not have number plates.

‘Defence using delaying tactics’

Speaking to The Indian Express, SPP Hiray said they filed the chargesheet against the accused in August 2024 and the draft charges in October 2024. “After that, the defence started using delaying tactics deliberately. In spite of this, the prosecution went on pressing for arguments on the draft charges,” he said.

“When those arguments concluded, two of the accused in the case – those linked to the blood swapping of the minor co-passengers – filed an application seeking all the CCTV footage from Sassoon General Hospital from the time of the offence. Such a demand was made when even the prosecution had not relied on all the CCTV footage from Sassoon Hospital. The defence took time arguing for this, but still got the ruling against them,” Hiray added.

The police investigation following the accident unravelled alleged cover-ups, bribery, abuse of power, and tampering of blood samples at the government-run Sassoon General Hospital. Multiple arrests followed, including that of the minor’s 50-year-old realtor father and 49-year-old mother; Dr Ajay Taware, then head of the Forensic Medicine Department at Sassoon Hospital; Dr Shrihari Halnor, then casualty medical officer; Atul Ghatkamble, a staffer at the hospital’s morgue; and Ashpak Makandar and Amar Gaikwad, who allegedly acted as middlemen between the minor’s father and the doctors.

The accused have been charged with tampering of evidence, forgery, criminal conspiracy and corruption. The then minor driver has been arraigned before the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) where he faces charges of culpable homicide, among others.

The Pune police have also arrested and charged a 37-year-old man who had given his blood to be swapped with that of a minor co-passenger, along with the father of that co-passenger. The 52-year-old father of another minor co-passenger was also arrested earlier for giving his own blood sample to be swapped with his son.

‘Fraud committed with judicial system’

“When framing of charges was to begin, the defence obtained a stay on the process from the high court. And now the framing of charges is being delayed. At present, a hearing is scheduled in the high court on January 8. After we clear this hurdle, we can immediately move the lower court seeking framing of charges. And even after that, we cannot say for sure that the defence will not move the high court again. In spite of this, we are confident that the trial will begin in 2026,” the SPP stated.

Hiray said they are pressing for the trial to begin soon because it is the key to the process of obtaining justice for the victims and their families. “This was a case in which a fraud was committed with the judicial system by completely changing the evidence. And that is what we have brought out in our case,” he said.

“If we look at the witnesses, we can see that they belong to weaker sections of the society, as against the accused who belong to the higher strata of society. And it is very likely that the accused could influence the witnesses. Currently, of the total 10 accused in the case, nine are still behind bars, while the mother of the minor driver is out on bail. We will soon be moving court seeking cancellation of her bail,” Hiray added.

Recently, two officers – Police Inspector Rahul Jagdale and Assistant Police Inspector Vishwanath Todkari – who were suspended for dereliction of duty in connection with the initial response to the accident, were dismissed from service.