New Delhi, Jan 7 (UNI) The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice on the bail pleas of businessmen Ashish Mittal and Aditya Sood, who stand accused in the 2024 Pune Porsche hit-and-run case that claimed two lives.
The incident involved an unregistered Porsche Taycan, allegedly driven by a minor under the influence of alcohol.
A bench comprising Justices B V Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan sought responses to the petitions filed by Mittal and Sood, challenging the Bombay High Court’s earlier order rejecting their bail applications.
The two businessmen are accused of swapping their blood samples with those of two minor occupants of the vehicle other than the alleged minor driver, who were purportedly under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident.
The prosecution alleges that the manipulation was carried out to fabricate evidence and shield the juvenile accused.
Mittal and Sood have been booked under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act for offences including forgery, tampering with evidence, and bribery.
The matter pertains to that on December 16, 2025, the Bombay High Court rejected the bail applications of eight accused persons in the case.
A single-judge Bench of Justice Shyam Chandak dismissed the pleas filed by Vishal Agarwal (father of the alleged minor driver), Ashish Mittal, Aditya Sood, Arunkumar Singh, Ashpak Makandar, Amar Gaikwad, Dr Ajay Taware, and Dr Shrihari Halnor.
Dr Ajay Taware, then Head of the Forensic Medicine Department, and Dr Shrihari Halnor, Chief Medical Officer, were accused of facilitating the replacement of blood samples of the minor accused. Ashpak Makandar and Amar Gaikwad were alleged to be middlemen who connected Vishal Agarwal with the doctors for the purpose of swapping the samples.
According to the prosecution, Aditya Sood allegedly provided his blood sample to replace that of his minor son, while Ashish Mittal allegedly substituted his blood sample with that of Arunkumar Singh’s son.
The High Court held that there was a strong prima facie case of a criminal conspiracy to tamper with prosecution evidence and to create false evidence to protect the juvenile who was driving the vehicle at the time of the accident.
It noted that false medical certificates were allegedly prepared to show that the child in conflict with law and his friends were not under the influence of alcohol; false entries were made in the medico-legal case (MLC) register; and incorrect labels carrying false information were affixed to blood samples.
The court further observed that these acts were allegedly committed in exchange for bribe amounts, with the objective of saving the juvenile from prosecution for offences including culpable homicide under Section 304 of the IPC.
Before the High Court, the accused had contended that they were not involved in the accident and that there was no strong incriminating material against them.
They also alleged violation of their fundamental rights under Articles 21 and 22 of the Constitution, claiming that the grounds of arrest were not furnished in writing.
Opposing bail, the State argued that vital evidence namely, the blood samples of the minor accused had been fabricated and that key witnesses, including medical students and economically weaker persons, were susceptible to intimidation.
Rejecting the bail pleas, the High Court observed that evidence lies at the core of the criminal justice system and that the accused had collectively attempted to undermine that process.
It held that lapses in investigation do not automatically entitle an accused to bail and emphasised that victims are equally entitled to protection of law under Article 14 of the Constitution. On the plea alleging violation of Article 22(1), the court found no demonstrable prejudice and noted that the accused were aware of the illegality and consequences of tampering with evidence.
Aggrieved by the rejection of bail, Ashish Mittal and Aditya Sood have now approached the Supreme Court, which has issued notice and will consider the matter after responses are filed.
Pune Porsche hit-and-run: SC notices bail pleas of Ashish Mittal, Aditya Sood
