Supreme Court Grants Bail to 3 in Pune Porsche Crash Case, Blames Parents for Juvenile Delinquency

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In a recent verdict, the Supreme Court granted bail to three men accused of tampering evidence in the 2024 Pune Porsche crash case. The court, however, expressed concern over parents' lack of control over their children, which often leads to such incidents. The three accused – Ashish Satish Mittal, Amar Santosh Gaikwad, and the father of a juvenile involved in the case – were released on bail, subject to conditions set by the trial court. They are prohibited from contacting witnesses directly or indirectly, and any violation may result in the cancellation of their bail. The court's decision came after the state government alleged that the accused had delayed the trial and even obtained a stay on the framing of charges. The bench of justices BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan observed that the main accused, a child in conflict with law, was being tried as a juvenile, while his father, allegedly involved in the conspiracy, had yet to appeal against the Bombay High Court's denial of bail to seven individuals. The investigation revealed a 'disturbing pattern of criminal conduct' by the family of the main juvenile accused, who resorted to 'influence, money power, and unlawful means.' The court agreed that the conduct of the juvenile offenders was unacceptable and that parents' inability to control their children contributed to such incidents. The court also noted that allowing children to consume alcohol and giving them a car for celebrations can have devastating consequences, as seen in the Pune crash that killed two IT professionals. The accused had allegedly helped two minors who were not driving the car, and their lawyer argued that the allegations were baseless. The three accused had been in detention for 18 months, and their lawyers claimed that the charges against them were of helping the minors, not being involved in the crime. The court's verdict has sparked debate over the role of parents in preventing juvenile delinquency and the need for stricter laws to curb such incidents.