Yesterday, On 23rd October, The High Court denied pre-arrest bail to the father of a friend of the minor involved in the Porsche crash in Pune. The man had sought protection from arrest in connection with the accident, but the court refused his request. The case involves a luxury car crash, where a minor was reportedly driving, leading to legal action against several parties.
Mumbai: The Bombay High Court, On Wednesday, denied anticipatory bail to the father of a minor who was a friend of the teenage driver involved in a Porsche car accident in Pune that resulted in two fatalities in May.
Justice Manish Pitale observed in his ruling that there was sufficient evidence to indicate that the applicant had committed an offense.
The applicant’s minor son was reportedly in the rear seat of the vehicle during the incident. Along with the teenage driver, he was also allegedly under the influence of alcohol.
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The luxury car struck two IT professionals on motorcycles, one of whom was a woman, in the Kalyaninagar area during the early hours of May 19, resulting in their deaths. It has been alleged that the parents of the juvenile driver attempted to bribe doctors to replace his blood samples with those of his mother. Similarly, the current applicant is accused of colluding with doctors at Sassoon General Hospital to alter his son’s blood samples.
While the other individuals involved in the case were arrested, the applicant remained at large, as reported by the police to the high court.
Senior counsel Aabad Ponda, representing the applicant, argued that his client could only be charged under Section 201 of the Indian Penal Code (which pertains to causing the disappearance of evidence or providing false information to shield an offender), a bailable offense.
Public prosecutor Shishir Hiray opposed the bail plea, asserting that the sessions court had accurately assessed the modus operandi of the applicant and his co-accused when it denied his anticipatory bail application on September 9, 2024.
The high court noted that there were prima facie indications that the blood samples of the applicant’s minor son had been tampered with to help him evade consequences.
The court also concurred with the prosecution’s view that the applicant’s decision to remain absconding hindered the investigation, leading to the rejection of his pre-arrest bail request.
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The denial of pre-arrest bail in this instance is likely to lead to further legal proceedings, as investigators seek to establish the full circumstances surrounding the crash and determine the extent of liability for all parties involved. The father of the minor driver’s friend now faces potential arrest and legal action, which could result in charges related to negligence, endangerment, or other relevant offenses.
The High Court’s decision to deny pre-arrest bail to the father of the minor driver’s friend in the Pune Porsche crash case highlights the gravity of the situation and the ongoing investigation. With legal proceedings still in progress, the case has raised critical issues about underage driving, accountability, and the role of the legal system in ensuring justice.