– Farheen Shah, Navelim-Goa
On May 23, 2024, a tragic incident in Pune added to a long list of fatal accidents caused by reckless driving, often involving the elite. In a striking parallel to previous cases, such as Siddhart Sharma being run over by a 12th-grade student in a Mercedes, Sanjeev Nanda’s BMW incident, and Reliance lawyer Janhavi Gadkar’s fatal crash in an Audi Q3, the recent mishap has reignited public outrage. These incidents often see the culprits escaping unscathed, raising questions about the influence of money and power in the judicial system.
The latest incident involves 17-year-old Vedant Agarwal, son of renowned builder Vishal Agarwal of Brahma Realty and Infrastructure Company. Vedant, allegedly under the influence of wine, was speeding at 200 km/h in his father’s Porsche, resulting in the deaths of a man and a woman. The reaction of the Pune police has been nothing short of disappointing. Instead of treating the incident with the gravity it deserves, they reportedly provided the young driver with a pizza at the police station immediately after the accident. Further, there are allegations of tampering with his blood samples to weaken the case.
This incident leaves citizens with a burning question: What is the value of a human life in the eyes of those wielding power and influence? The lenient treatment of the young driver, who was bailed out within 15 hours under the pretext of juvenile driving, suggests that a human life is worth little more than a 300-word essay. Vedant was ordered to write an essay on accidents, work with the police traffic department for 15 days, and undergo counseling to mitigate his drinking habits.
Such a judgment feels like a slap in the face to the families of the deceased, two software engineers whose lives were cut short. The question arises: Why are the families of these victims not given justice? If parents did not hand over keys to such powerful cars to their underage children, many lives could have been spared.
This case, like many before it, highlights the disparity in how justice is served based on wealth and status. It calls into question the effectiveness of our legal system in holding the rich accountable for their actions. The public deserves answers and accountability.
Authorities must now set an example with stringent punishment, similar to the case of Cameron Herrin in the United States, who was sentenced to 24 years in prison for killing a mother and daughter in a high-speed crash. As of the latest updates, Vedant’s bail has been canceled, but this is not enough. Justice must be served with fervor and resolve. Justice delayed is justice denied.
