The fatal crash involving a Porsche Taycan in Pune on May 19th has unveiled a disturbing narrative of wealth, entitlement, and institutional corruption. The incident, which claimed the lives of two young techies, Ashwini Koshta and Aneesh Awadhiya, highlights a deeper story of family influence and subversion of justice.
The Incident
The teenage driver, heir to a substantial family fortune, was driving a Porsche Taycan that had been operating unregistered on Pune roads for two months. This vehicle was allowed to ply despite regulations, exposing systemic lapses. The teenager, intoxicated and underage, took the car out to celebrate his class XII results with friends. They consumed alcohol at two establishments, Cosie and Blak, despite the legal drinking age being 25 in Maharashtra. Both venues have since been sealed by the excise department, and their owners arrested.
Family Background
The teenager belongs to a wealthy family with roots in Pune’s real estate and hospitality sectors. Their business empire, estimated to be worth ₹1,000 crores, was built over decades, beginning with scrap metal and later diversifying into real estate and hospitality. Internal family disputes, marked by violence and legal battles, have marred their history. Notably, the teenager’s grandfather allegedly commissioned a hit on Shiv Sena leader Ajay Bhosale in 2009 over business conflicts.
The Night of the Accident
On the night of the crash, the family’s driver, on instructions from the grandfather, allowed the inebriated teenager to drive. Following the accident, the grandfather attempted to coerce the driver into falsely confessing to being the one behind the wheel. When the driver refused, he was threatened and later, the grandfather was arrested on charges of abduction.
Institutional Failures
The teenager’s father tried to leverage political connections, contacting NCP (Ajit Pawar) lawmaker Sunil Tingre multiple times shortly after the accident. At Yerawada police station, the responding officers failed to escalate the incident’s severity, applying only minor charges of negligence and delaying the blood alcohol test. This resulted in the suspension of two officers.
The car’s provisional registration, meant only for transport from the showroom to the owner’s home, was misused for regular driving without paying road tax. Consequently, the Pune RTO cancelled the car’s registration and barred re-registration for a year.
Medical Examination Corruption
The most egregious corruption occurred at Sassoon General Hospital, where the teenager’s blood sample was swapped with his mother’s to falsify the alcohol test results. Dr. Shrihari Halnor, the Casualty Medical Officer, was bribed ₹2.5 lakh by Dr. Ajay Taware, head of the hospital’s forensic department, to manipulate the test. Both doctors, along with another staff member, have been arrested and suspended.
Ongoing Investigations
The Pune police are expanding their investigation to include the grandfather’s past criminal activities, including a plot to murder a Shiv Sena leader and cases of cheating and criminal intimidation. Senior police inspector Pratap Mankar confirmed the broadened probe into the grandfather’s conduct.
Public Outcry
Following the accident, many who knew the family began to speak out. Sonali Tanpure, wife of NCP (SP) lawmaker Prajakt Tanpure, shared on social media about how the teenager had previously bullied her son, forcing her to change his school. This case has brought to light severe issues of privilege, corruption, and institutional failure. The tragic deaths of Ashwini Koshta and Aneesh Awadhiya underscore the need for stringent enforcement of laws and accountability for those in power.