At present, the court is examining arguments pertaining to the framing of charges against ten accused persons implicated in the exchange of blood samples belonging to a 17-year-old juvenile, who tragically caused the death of two IT professionals while operating a Porsche vehicle alleged to be under the influence of alcohol in May 2024
The car that was seized by police after the accident. File pic
The accused involved in the 2024 Porsche vehicular collision case, which includes a minor driver, are purportedly employing delaying tactics in an effort to extend the legal process by submitting "frivolous" applications before a trial court in Pune, the prosecution argued on Wednesday.
The court is currently hearing arguments on the framing of charges against the 10 accused in the alleged exchange of blood samples belonging to a 17-year-old juvenile, who fatally ran over two IT professionals while driving a Porsche car—allegedly under the influence of alcohol—in May 2024, PTI reported.
The prosecution concluded its presentation of arguments on Friday, asserting that charges should be formally framed against all defendants, supported by conclusive DNA evidence indicating that the minor's blood samples were exchanged with those of his mother at Sassoon General Hospital, a government-run medical facility.
All the 10 accused, nine of whom are presently detained in jail, were alleged to have participated equally in the conspiracy, the prosecution stated.
Defence lawyers representing the 10 accused, including the boy's father, were supposed to begin their arguments in the case on Wednesday.
"A couple of accused have moved applications seeking a copy of the chargesheet. In my argument over their plea, I told the court that the prosecution had already provided them a chargesheet copy. However, the defence told the court that the prosecution had given them only a part of the document, which is regarding the charges against them. But we told the court that a full chargesheet has been provided to all accused," said Special Public Prosecutor in the case, Shishir Hiray, according to PTI.
Such applications are "frivolous" in nature and the accused are deliberately using delaying tactics, he contended.
Meanwhile, Sudhir Shah, a defence counsel representing Dr Ajay Taware, one of the 10 accused, while opening his argument on framing of charges, noted that IPC sections 467 and 464 (dealing with forgery and making false documents) have been invoked against his client. However, these two sections were not applicable to Taware as he did not indulge in any forgery, Shah argued.
"Our client was not present at the Sassoon General Hospital when the blood samples were allegedly swapped and the report was tampered with. The section (related to forgery) is applicable only to those who have done forgery and not against the one who has instructed that person to do so," he stated.
In the early hours of May 19, 2024, a Porsche allegedly driven by the 17-year-old boy, who is the son of a well-known realtor, knocked down two IT professionals, Anish Awadhiya and his friend Ashwini Costa, who were riding a two-wheeler in Kalyani Nagar.
Currently, the juvenile's father, Sassoon Hospital doctors Ajay Taware and Shrihari Halnor, hospital staffer Atul Ghatkamble, two middlemen, Bashpak Makandar and Amar Gaikwad, and three others are lodged in jail in connection with the alleged swapping of the juvenile's blood samples to conceal his intoxication at the time of the crash.
The minor boy is facing separate proceedings before the Juvenile Justice Board.
(With PTI inputs)
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