Fifteen hours after a late-night Porsche crash in Pune left two 24-year-old software engineers dead, the 17-year-old driver was back home, granted bail under conditions widely criticised as lenient. Now, three days later, he is in a child observation home, awaiting a decision on whether he will be tried as an adult, while his father sits in jail.
The Juvenile Justice Board granted bail to the teen on Sunday, hours after the crash. Caught on camera drinking shortly before driving the high-end car at over 240 km per hour, the conditions of his bail included writing a 300-word essay on “road accidents and their solutions,” studying traffic rules for 15 days, and undergoing counselling for his drinking habits and psychiatric treatment.
The lenient bail terms sparked massive outrage on social media, with many accusing the authorities of going easy on the teenager because he is the son of a prominent Pune realtor.
Pune police revealed they had requested permission to try the teen as an adult, but the board initially refused.
Amid the growing backlash, police on Monday registered a case against the teen’s father under the Juvenile Justice Act. Additionally, charges were filed against the owners and staff of two bars that served alcohol to the underage driver and his friends.
The following day, police tracked and arrested the realtor father after foiling his elaborate escape plan involving multiple vehicles. The bar owners and staff were also taken into custody.
Also Read: ‘How can JJB give such an order’: Maharashtra DyCM Devendra Fadnavis on Porsche crash case
In a surprise move, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis visited Pune to review the case. Following a police review petition, the Juvenile Justice Board issued a notice to the teen.
During the hearing, the board modified its earlier order, remanding the teen to an observation home until June 5. They also sought a response from the defendant on the plea to try him as an adult.
Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar said that they had filed two applications with the court on Sunday. He told the NDTV, “One was that this is a heinous crime and the accused must be tried as an adult. Our second application was that until this is decided, the accused must be at an observation home. These applications were disallowed that day. So we sought a review, and today we received a favourable order on both counts.”
Also Read: Bar where Pune minor drank before killing 2 with speeding Porsche sealed
Kumar added that the accused’s blood test results are pending but deemed them “not very important.” He stated, “This case is not about an accident in which a mistake happened under the influence of alcohol and people died. Our case is that he had full knowledge of his actions… he partied in two bars, rashly drove a car without a number plate on a narrow, congested street. He was fully aware that people might die because of his actions. Our case is under Section 304 of IPC, which carries a jail term of 10 years. And this has been our stand since Sunday, not after media outrage.”
The accused’s lawyer, Prashant Patil, told the media that the teenager will remain at a rehabilitation home until June 5, undergoing counselling and other steps to integrate him back into society.
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