The Maharashtra police have sprung into action in the aftermath of a fatal Porsche car accident in Pune. On Tuesday, the police arrested the father of the accused minor from Aurangabad district. Earlier on Monday, the police had sought permission from the high court to try the accused as an adult. A case has also been lodged against the father of the accused. Previously, the lower court had dismissed the police's plea.
The incident occurred in Pune's Kalyani Nagar early on the morning of May 19. A 17-year-old boy, the son of a real estate developer, crushed a young man and woman on a motorcycle with his sports car, resulting in their deaths. The accused minor was granted bail by the court 14 hours after the incident, under certain conditions. Investigations revealed that the accused teenager was under the influence of alcohol. The deceased have been identified as Anish Awadhiya and Ashwini Koshta, both 24 years old and employees in the IT sector.
Pune Police assert that several teams have been formed to investigate the incident. The accused's father, Vishal Aggarwal, went into hiding after an FIR was lodged. He was arrested Tuesday morning from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar by the Crime Branch. Vishal will be brought to Pune by afternoon.
Release of the Accused on Conditions
The juvenile court granted bail to the accused minor within 14 hours, stating that the offense wasn't so grave to deny bail. The court also imposed conditions, including working with traffic police for 15 days and writing a 300-word essay on the impact and resolution of road accidents.
Case Should Proceed as if Against an Adult
In this case, Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar stated that the accused should be tried like an adult. For this, the police have sought permission from the upper court. The statement from the Police Commissioner comes amid discontent regarding the minor being granted bail. Commissioner Amitesh Kumar added that the accused have been charged under IPC Section 304 for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and relevant sections of the Motor Vehicles Act. The police have approached the court to treat the accused as an adult.
Police Call It a Heinous Crime
The police stated that on Sunday, they filed a plea in court seeking permission to try the teenager as an adult and send him to a reform home as it's a heinous crime as defined under section 2 of the Juvenile Justice Act. However, the petition was dismissed. They have appealed against this order in the upper court and knocked on the door of the sessions' court with the same argument. They will leave no stone unturned to prove that it's a heinous crime.
Porsche Car Registered in Father's Name
Investigations revealed the accused teenager went to meet friends and was found driving the Porsche car at high speeds. The police say that the car is registered in his father's name and it had no number plate. The underage driver and the two others aboard the Porsche were taken into custody and brought to the police station. Nevertheless, he was granted bail within 14 hours.
Beating of the Minor by Bystanders Post-Accident
CCTV footage shows bystanders pulling the accused minor and his friends out of the car and beating them post-incident. Other footage displays the accused teenager and his friends drinking at a bar prior to the accident.
Lawyer of the Accused States They Are Following the Law
The juvenile justice act is being enforced against the accused's father and the bar serving alcohol, under sections 75 and 77. The lawyer for the accused minor, Prashant Patil, stated they are at the initial stages of the investigation, following the legal process, and the accused is entitled to bail. Everyone is acting in accordance with the law.
Victim's Family Calls the Accused a 'Human Bomb'
Anish Awadhiya's uncle, Akhilesh, criticized the bail conditions set for the minor as ludicrous and ridiculed the Maharashtra police's negligence. He referred to the minor as a 'human bomb'. According to him, the punishment under the new act should be seven years. The bail conditions are laughable, something even fifth-grade students are taught. The boy was driving a car worth 3 crores. He was released simply because he is the son of a business tycoon.
