Supreme Court Grants Bail to Ashpak Makandar in Pune Porsche Crash Case
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has granted bail to Ashpak Makandar, one of the accused in the alleged blood sample tampering case linked to the 2024 Pune Porsche crash. The incident, which occurred on May 19, 2024, in Pune’s Kalyani Nagar area, claimed the lives of two young software engineers, Aneesh Awadhiya (24) and Ashwini Koshta (24), from Madhya Pradesh.
A Bench comprising Justices BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan allowed Makandar's plea on the ground of parity, noting that co-accused facing similar allegations had already been granted bail. Senior Advocate Siddharth Agarwal, representing Makandar, informed the Bench that his client had spent 20 months in jail.
“We will grant bail on the ground of parity. Leave granted,” the Court stated. The Bench directed that Makandar be released on bail in accordance with its earlier order in SLP (Crl.) No. 1270 of 2026, which pertained to co-accused Amar Santosh Gaikwad.
The case revolves around a fatal Porsche crash that occurred around 2:30 am on May 19, 2024. The Porsche, allegedly driven by a juvenile in an inebriated state, collided with a motorcycle, resulting in the deaths of Aneesh Awadhiya and Ashwini Koshta. According to the prosecution, the juvenile’s father, businessman Vishal Agarwal, along with his wife and associates, conspired with doctors and staff at Sassoon General Hospital to manipulate blood test reports. Investigators alleged that blood samples were swapped to eliminate evidence of alcohol consumption, and that Rs 3 lakh was paid to hospital staff through intermediaries.
Makandar was among those accused of acting as a middleman in facilitating the alleged tampering. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court granted bail to three other accused—Ashish Mittal, Amar Santosh Gaikwad, and Aditya Sood—observing that they had spent around 18 months in jail. The Court noted that continued incarceration would cause undue prejudice, while cautioning that any breach of bail conditions imposed by the trial court could lead to the cancellation of bail.
The decision by the Supreme Court to grant bail to Makandar and the other accused has sparked discussions about the legal processes and the implications of the case. The incident has raised questions about the integrity of the legal and healthcare systems and the need for stringent measures to prevent such tampering in the future.
The families of the victims have expressed mixed reactions to the bail decisions, with some calling for a thorough and fair investigation to ensure justice. The case continues to be closely monitored by legal experts and the public, as it highlights the complexities and challenges within the Indian legal system.
