The Supreme Court of India on Monday granted regular bail to three people accused of tampering with blood samples in the controversial 2024 Pune Porsche crash case, noting that they had been in custody for nearly 18 months. The decision was delivered by a Bench of Justices B.V. Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan.
Who Got Bail and Why
The three accused released on bail are:
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Ashish Satish Mittal
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Aditya Avinash Sood
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Amar Santhosh Gaikwad
The court observed that the prolonged detention without trial justified their release on bail, while imposing conditions to be set by the trial court.
Background of the Crash and Case
The case stems from the fatal Porsche crash on May 19, 2024, in Pune’s Kalyani Nagar area, when a luxury Porsche driven by a 17‑year‑old minor allegedly under the influence of alcohol rammed into a motorcycle, killing two young IT professionals.
Soon after the accident, police discovered that blood samples taken from the minors in custody including the driver were swapped with samples from adults in an alleged attempt to hide intoxication evidence, leading to arrests in the case.
Allegations of Evidence Tampering
Investigators said the accused conspired to provide their own blood samples in place of the minors’ samples to mislead authorities and conceal the presence of alcohol in the juveniles’ system at the time of the crash. They face charges including forgery, tampering with evidence and related offences under the Indian Penal Code and other laws.
Reactions and Case Status
The bail order comes amid ongoing legal proceedings in the case. While some accused, including the minors’ parents and hospital staff involved in the alleged blood swap, remain under judicial scrutiny, this latest development reflects judicial concern over extended incarceration without trial.
The trial court will now decide the conditions and further progress in the case as the legal process continues.
Public and Legal Impact
The Pune Porsche crash drew nationwide attention not only for the tragic deaths of two software engineers but also for the legal and ethical issues it raised from privilege and justice in high‑profile cases to allegations of evidence manipulation. The Supreme Court’s bail decision underscores ongoing judicial efforts to balance rights of the accused with the need for a fair trial after prolonged detention.