‘We Cry for the Law More Than Our Daughter’: Families of Pune Porsche Crash Victims Slam Juvenile Board Ruling
Pune/Jabalpur, 16th July 2025: In the wake of the Pune Porsche crash case, which claimed the lives of two young engineers from Madhya Pradesh, the families of the victims have expressed deep anguish over the Juvenile Justice Board’s (JJB) decision to treat the 17-year-old accused as a minor.
Suresh Kosta, father of 24-year-old Ashwini Kosta, one of the deceased, said the verdict has left him questioning the legal system more than grieving his own daughter’s loss.
“We’ve reached a point where we grieve the law more than we grieve our daughter,” he said in a pained voice.
“Children may be legally minors until 18, but mentally many mature much earlier. If this crash had occurred just four months later, the accused would have been tried as an adult. But what about the severity of the crime? Two lives were lost. Doesn’t that qualify as heinous?”
The Juvenile Justice Board recently ruled that the accused, a minor at the time of the crash on May 19, 2024, will continue to be tried under the juvenile system. The Porsche, allegedly driven at high speed by the teenager under the influence of alcohol, crashed into a motorcycle near Kalyaninagar-Airport Road in Pune, killing Ashwini Kosta of Jabalpur and Anees Awadhiya of Pali in Umaria district.
Ashwini’s father said the family is exploring legal options to challenge the verdict.
“We are considering moving the court. The Maharashtra police and legal experts have assured us of support in filing an appeal,” Kosta added.
Echoing similar sentiments, O.P. Awadhiya, father of Anees, said the justice system has appeared unusually lenient from the very beginning.
“Bail was granted to the accused within just 15 hours, while it took me over two days—58 hours—to bring my son’s body back home. What message does this send to society?” he asked.
“We had hoped the Maharashtra government would ensure justice. We’ve heard that the police will challenge the JJB’s ruling, and we expect a fair outcome from the appeal process.”
The tragedy occurred in the early hours of May 19, when the minor’s luxury vehicle fatally struck the two tech professionals. Both victims, aged 24, were reportedly on their way home from a gathering when the accident happened.
As the case continues to stir public outrage across the country, the families of the victims have urged authorities to reconsider how juvenile justice is applied in cases involving serious offences, especially when there is clear evidence of reckless behavior.
They say the pain of losing their children has now been compounded by a legal system that they feel has failed them.
“Justice must not only be done—it must be seen to be done,” said Awadhiya, calling for stronger accountability in cases involving privileged minors and fatal consequences.
