NEW DELHI: Justice B.V. Nagarathna of the Supreme Court on Monday made strong oral observations on parental accountability while hearing bail pleas linked to the 2024 Pune Porsche crash, in which two persons lost their lives. The case also involves allegations of a subsequent cover-up, including the swapping of blood samples to conceal alcohol consumption.
After dictating an order granting bail to three accused alleged to have conspired in tampering with blood samples, Justice Nagarathna squarely placed responsibility on parents who allow their children unrestricted access to cars and money without adequate supervision.
Highlighting the gravity of the incident, the judge remarked that bail was being granted solely on the ground of prolonged incarceration. “We have much to say on this. Two innocent lives were lost and then all these machinations. But the only thing in your favour is long incarceration. So liberty versus all that, ultimately,” she observed.
Justice Nagarathna clarified that the Court was consciously refraining from making detailed findings, as such observations could prejudice the ongoing trial.
“Father and mother are to be blamed for not having control over their children. If we say anything on that line, we are only afraid that it may prejudice the trial against these appellants,” she said.
The judge also criticised the culture of reckless celebration involving substance use and high-speed driving. “Celebration is not on the basis of substance and then going at top speed and resulting in the killing of innocent people on the road or even those sleeping on the road,” she remarked.
Noting that similar cases had come before the Court in the past, Justice Nagarathna agreed with Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for the mother of one of the deceased victims, who pointed out a recurring pattern in such incidents.
Sankaranarayanan submitted that these cases often follow a familiar script: “Get some poor driver to take the blame, say someone else was driving, replace blood samples, claim there was no alcohol, and after three years, walk free.”
Responding to this, Justice Nagarathna said, “The law has to catch up with these people. Most importantly, the parents are responsible for handing over the vehicle to the children and giving them sufficient funds to have a gala time.”
She further observed that such incidents reflect a deeper social problem. “This is the problem. Parents have no time to talk to their children, to have a dialogue with them or spend time with them. So what is the substitute? Money, an ATM card. Then they go on their own, under the influence of mobile phones,” she said.
The remarks were made during the hearing of bail pleas filed by Ashish Satish Mittal, Aditya Avinash Sood and Amar Santhosh Gaikwad, who are accused of conspiring to swap blood samples of two minors who were seated in the rear of the car at the time of the accident.
A Bench comprising Justice B.V. Nagarathna and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan granted bail to the three accused, noting that they had been in custody for around 18 months, while clarifying that all issues on merits would be examined during the trial.