Pune Porsche Crash: Minor's Bail Cancelled, Father Arrested
A builder's 17-year-old son in Pune killed two software engineers in a high-speed car crash, sparking public outrage and legal scrutiny.
Pune faced a tragic incident on the night of 18th May 2024 when a speeding Porsche Taycan, driven by 17-year-old Vedant Agarwal, son of a prominent builder, crashed into a motorcycle. The accident instantly killed the biker, Aneesh Awadhia (24), and his friend Ashwini Koshta (24), who was riding pillion. The accident happened around 2:30 am in Kalyani Nagar.
Aneesh and Ashwini, both software engineers, were returning home after celebrating Aneesh’s pre-birthday at a restaurant. When they reached the Kalyani Nagar junction, the speeding Porsche hit their bike from behind. The impact threw Ashwini 20 feet into the air, while Aneesh crashed into parked vehicles. Despite efforts from passersby, both died on the spot.
The Porsche’s airbags deployed upon impact, obstructing the driver’s view and causing the car to crash into other parked vehicles and roadside railings. The left side of the car was completely wrecked. Bystanders pulled Vedant and his two friends from the car and assaulted them. The incident was captured on video and went viral on social media.
The Pune Police arrived quickly and arrested Vedant. They found that the Porsche was traveling at a speed of 160-180 km/hr. Vedant is the son of Vishal Agarwal, a well-known builder in Pune. During interrogation, Vedant claimed to be a minor, and police verified this, confirming he is 17 but will turn 18 in four months.
Vedant and his friends had been celebrating passing their 12th class at Cosie Bar and BLAK in Marriott Suites, partying from 10 pm to 2 am. The police registered an FIR against Vedant under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Maharashtra Motor Vehicle Act. However, they did not initially include charges for drunken driving as Vedant had yet to be tested for blood alcohol levels.
Vedant was produced in front of a magistrate, where he pleaded that he is a minor and influenced by bad company. His grandfather assured the court that Vedant would be kept away from negative influences and focus on his studies. The police requested the court to treat Vedant as an adult due to the severity of the accident, but the court granted him bail under the Juvenile Justice Act with conditions.
The bail conditions included:
- Not tampering with evidence, witnesses, and investigation
- Performing 15 days of community service with the Yerawada traffic police
- Writing a 300-word reflective essay on the accident and its consequences
- Visiting the RTO office, studying all the rules and regulations, and submitting a presentation to the Juvenile Court
- Undergoing psychiatric counseling
- Seeking medical help to quit drinking
This decision caused a massive public outcry, leading to the Juvenile Court canceling Vedant’s bail on 22nd May 2024. Vedant was then remanded to a rehabilitation home until 5th June 2024.
Further investigations revealed that Vishal Agarwal, Vedant’s father, had given his son the high-end car despite knowing he did not have a driving license and had consumed alcohol. The police added charges against Vishal under the Juvenile Justice Act and the Indian Penal Code for neglect and culpable homicide. Vishal absconded but was later tracked and arrested in Sambhaji Nagar (Aurangabad).
Vedant’s friends are currently being treated as witnesses, and the police are working to build a strong case. Vedant’s driving license was pre-suspended by the Transport Authority of India, which decided not to issue him a license until he turns 25.
The families of Aneesh Awadhia and Ashwini Koshta are devastated. Ashwini’s mother revealed that Ashwini had planned to surprise her father on his birthday in June. Aneesh was supporting his younger brother’s education and living expenses. Both families are determined to fight for justice.
This tragic accident has sparked a major debate on the legal system’s handling of cases involving the rich and powerful.
