May 24, 2024
NEW DELHI – Amid the furor over the Porsche crash incident in Pune, the Juvenile Justice Board has cancelled the bail granted to the 17-year-old minor in the incident that claimed two lives.
Anish Awadhiya and Ashwini Koshta — both 24 — from Madhya Pradesh, and working in Pune were on a motorbike when the minor’s vehicle crashed with them in the early hours of Sunday.
The furore over the quick bail granted to the minor accused – along with the 300-word essay on road accidents that he was asked to write – prompted the police to seek a review of the bail order, which they claim have been subsequently cancelled.
The minor’s father, Vishal Agarwal, a real estate developer, is now in police custody in the case.
The minor was subsequently lodged at a child observation home.
On Sunday, hours after the chilling accident, the Juvenile Justice Board had granted bail to the teen, who was caught drinking on camera shortly before he drove the high-end car at over 240 km per hour, with a set of conditions. The conditions included writing a 300-word essay on “road accidents and their solution”, studying traffic rules for 15 days, and attending counseling for his drinking habit and psychiatric treatment.
News of the bail and its conditions sparked massive outrage on social media, with many alleging that the teenager had been let off very lightly for a heinous crime that led to two untimely deaths. Pune police said they had urged the board for permission to try the accused as an adult, but it refused.
Amid growing outrage, police on Monday registered a case against the teen’s father under the Juvenile Justice Act. A case was also registered against the owners and staff of two bars that served alcohol to the 17-year-old and his two friends.
Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar said they moved two applications with the court on Sunday. “One was that this is a heinous crime and the accused must be tried as an adult. Our second application was that till the time this is decided, the accused must be at an observation home. These applications were disallowed that day. So we sought a review, we have got a favourable order on both counts today,” he told reporters.
The accused’s lawyer, Prashant Patil, told the media that the teenager will be at a rehabilitation home till June 5. “During this time, he will undergo counseling and other steps will be taken to bring him to the mainstream,” he said.
Meanwhile, families of the victims have termed the incident “murder”.
Aneesh’s mother Savita Awadhiya said, “It is the boy’s mistake, it is murder, because if he had not made such a big mistake, no one would have died. If only his family members had paid attention, today my son would have been alive. This is murder.”
Ashwini Koshta’s mother Mamata Koshta told a news agency, “We were supposed to send her off in a palanquin (to the groom’s house) after her marriage. Now we are forced to carry her body on a bier,” she said.