New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday granted bail to the father of the minor accused in the high-profile Pune Porsche crash case that killed two young software engineers in May 2024.
A bench comprising Justices B. V. Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan ordered the release of businessman Vishal Agarwal, stating that he had already spent nearly 22 months in jail and that several other co-accused in the case had been granted bail earlier.
The court ruled that Agarwal was entitled to bail with conditions. It directed him to fully cooperate with the ongoing investigation and court proceedings, not misuse his liberty, and refrain from contacting witnesses either directly or indirectly. The bench warned that any violation of these conditions would result in immediate cancellation of his bail.
The case stems from a fatal accident on May 19, 2024, when a Porsche allegedly driven by a 17-year-old crashed into a motorcycle in the Kalyani Nagar area of Pune, killing two IT professionals. Authorities alleged the teenager was driving under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash.
Prosecutors had accused Agarwal of being part of a conspiracy to tamper with evidence following the accident, including attempts to manipulate blood samples to hide evidence of alcohol consumption.
During the hearing, senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, representing the father of one of the victims, argued that a strong message must be sent to society about respecting the law. The bench responded that such a message could not come at the cost of an individual’s personal liberty.
Agarwal had approached the Supreme Court after the Bombay High Court earlier rejected his bail plea.
The Supreme Court also instructed the trial court to expedite the proceedings and conclude the trial as soon as possible, given the seriousness and public attention surrounding the case.