One year on, victims' families await justice

PUNE PORSCHE CRASH

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Exactly a year ago, when a speeding Porsche crashed into a two-wheeler in Pune, killing two techies in their 20s, the accident upended the worlds of their families.

The case grabbed national headlines after it emerged that the luxe car was allegedly being driven by a juvenile under the influence of alcohol and a series of events that followed to save him.

Twelve months have passed, but for the families of victims Anish Awadhiya and his friend Ashwini Costa, justice seems far away.

On the other side, the juvenile's father, who is a developer, two doctors and a few others remain behind bars. The boy's mother is out on interim bail. In the early hours of 19 May, 2024, a Porsche allegedly driven by a 17-year-old in an inebriated condition fatally knocked down software professionals Awadhiya and Costa, who were on a bike, in Pune's Kalyani Nagar area.

Though the boy was detained, he was granted bail by Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) member LN Danavade within hours of the crash. The lenient bail terms, including asking the minor to write a 300-word essay on road safety, triggered a nationwide firestorm.

After police sought a review of the bail order amid the outrage, the JJB sent the minor to an observation home. Subsequently, the Bombay High Court ordered his release.