Bombay High Court denies anticipatory bail to father in fatal Pune drunk driving Porsche case
Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday rejected the anticipatory bail plea of a man accused of tampering with evidence to shield his son, a minor, involved in a fatal accident in May.
Justice Manish Pitale, while delivering the order, observed that prima facie evidence supported the charges against the applicant. The case involves a high-end car accident in Kalyaninagar on May 19, which claimed the lives of two motorbike-borne IT professionals, including a woman. The applicant's son, allegedly intoxicated and seated in the rear of the vehicle driven by a teenage friend, is under investigation.
The prosecution alleges that the parents of the minor driver bribed doctors to swap his blood sample with that of his mother. The applicant is accused of similarly conspiring with doctors at Sassoon General Hospital to replace his son’s blood sample, with the intention of obstructing the investigation.
The police informed the court that while other accused in the case had been arrested, the applicant had remained absconding. The high court noted that his absence hindered the investigation and pointed to the deliberate tampering of evidence.
Senior counsel Aabad Ponda, representing the applicant, argued that at most, his client could be charged under Section 201 of the IPC (causing disappearance of evidence), which is a bailable offense. However, public prosecutor Shishir Hiray opposed the plea, highlighting that the sessions court had rightly dismissed the bail request on September 9.
The court concluded that the applicant’s involvement in the manipulation of blood samples warranted the rejection of his bail plea, reinforcing the need for a thorough investigation.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
