Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has vowed stringent action against the 17-year-old responsible for a fatal Porsche crash in Pune, which resulted in the deaths of two IT professionals.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the Juvenile Justice Board’s lenient punishment, Devendra Fadnavis questioned the adequacy of the penalties imposed on the teenager, which include writing a 300-word essay on road accidents, working with the traffic police for 15 days, and undergoing alcohol counselling.
पुणे कार दुर्घटना का मामला बेहद दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण है। पुलिस ने मामले को बेहद गंभीरता से लेते हुए दोषियों के खिलाफ IPC की धारा 304 के तहत मामला दर्ज किया है। वहीं किशोर न्याय बोर्ड में भी एक पुनरीक्षण आवेदन दायर किया गया है, ताकि…@PuneCityPolice @CPPuneCity #Pune #Maharashtra… pic.twitter.com/QOscNGPs7d
— Devendra Fadnavis (Modi Ka Parivar) (@Dev_Fadnavis) May 21, 2024
The incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday when the teenager, allegedly intoxicated and driving a high-end Porsche, struck a motorbike in Kalyani Nagar. Witnesses reported that one victim, Ashwini Koshta, was thrown 20 feet into the air, while Aneesh Awadhiya was flung into a parked car. Both victims died at the scene.
The young driver, who was granted bail within 15 hours, is the son of a prominent realtor in Pune. Devendra Fadnavis criticised the swift bail decision, stating, “How can the Juvenile Justice Board give such an order?” He revealed that the state has appealed the board’s decision to the district court, citing public outrage and the severity of the crime.
Also Read: Bar where Pune minor drank before killing 2 with speeding Porsche sealed
Investigations revealed that the minor had been drinking with friends at a bar before the accident. In response, the police have arrested the bar owners for serving alcohol to a minor, as Maharashtra’s legal drinking age is 25.
“The minor is 17 years and 8 months old, and as per the Nirbhaya case, anyone above 16 years old should be considered an adult in cases of heinous crimes,” Devendra Fadnavis emphasised.
Devendra Fadnavis outlined several measures to prevent similar incidents, including increased enforcement against bars serving alcohol to minors and stricter drink-driving checks by the police. The Deputy Chief Minister assured that the administration would take decisive action against establishments violating the law.
Also Read: Father of Pune minor who killed 2 with speeding Porsche held, bar owners detained for serving alcohol
The Pune Police Commissioner, Amitesh Kumar, defended the police’s actions, stating that they had sought permission to try the minor as an adult and send him to an observation home, but their plea was rejected.
The police have since approached the District Court to pursue this matter further. Kumar challenged critics to substantiate claims that the police had acted under pressure due to the minor’s influential family background.
In addition to the teenager’s arrest, the police have also detained his father under the Juvenile Justice Act for neglect and allowing his son to consume alcohol. The owner of Cosie Bar, where the minor was served alcohol, has also been arrested.
Kumar affirmed the police’s commitment to building a “watertight case” against the teen, aiming to prove culpable homicide not amounting to murder, irrespective of the pending blood report results.
This case has not only sparked legal and administrative actions but also ignited a political debate, with leaders like Sanjay Raut from the Uddhav Thackeray camp questioning the police’s initial response to the incident.
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