The Supreme Court of India on Thursday asked the Government of Maharashtra to respond to a bail plea filed by Vishal Agarwal, the father of the minor accused in the 2024 Pune Porsche accident case.
A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan issued a notice to the state government after Agarwal challenged an earlier order of the Bombay High Court denying him bail. The matter is scheduled to be heard on March 10.
High speed crash, 300 word essay and a nationwide outrage
The case relates to an accident that took place on May 19, 2024, in Pune’s Kalyani Nagar area. A 17-year-old boy, allegedly under the influence of alcohol, was driving a Porsche when he fatally hit two IT professionals.
The incident triggered widespread public anger, especially after the minor was initially granted bail by the Juvenile Justice Board on what many considered lenient terms. One of the conditions required him to write a 300-word essay on road safety.
Following public outrage, Pune police approached the board to review its decision. The board later modified its order and sent the juvenile to an observation home. In June, the Bombay High Court ordered his release from the observation home.
Bail plea of the father
On December 16, 2025, the Bombay High Court rejected the bail plea of Vishal Agarwal and other accused persons in the case. Agarwal then moved the Supreme Court challenging that decision.
The Supreme Court has now sought the Maharashtra government’s response and will hear the matter next month.
Supreme Court grants bail to three accused
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court granted bail to three other accused in the case namely, Amar Santish Gaikwad, an alleged middleman, Aditya Avinash Sood and Ashish Satish Mittal
The court noted that they had been in custody for 18 months. While granting bail, the bench observed that in cases involving juveniles, parents should be held responsible if they fail to control their children.
Earlier, on January 23 and January 7, the court had also sought responses from the Maharashtra government on bail pleas filed by some of the accused.
Blood sample swapping allegations
Sood and Mittal, aged 52 and 37, were arrested on August 19 last year. Their blood samples were allegedly used in place of samples belonging to two minors who were in the car at the time of the accident.
In December last year, the Bombay High Court rejected the bail pleas of eight accused, including Gaikwad, Sood, and Mittal.
Apart from the minor, 10 people were sent to jail in connection with the alleged blood sample swapping case. These include his parents, Vishal Agarwal and Shivani Agarwal, doctors Ajay Tawre and Shreehari Halnor, Sassoon hospital staffer Atul Ghatkamble, Sood, Mittal, and Arun Kumar Singh also amog others.
What happens next?
The Supreme Court will hear Vishal Agarwal’s bail plea on March 10 after receiving the Maharashtra government’s response. The case continues to draw attention due to the serious charges, the involvement of a minor, and allegations of tampering with evidence.
(With PTI Inputs)