The Aryavarth Express
Agency (Pune): In response to public outrage over the quick granting of bail, the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) on Wednesday ordered a 17-year-old involved in a fatal car accident in Pune to be sent to an observation home until June 5. The accident, which occurred when the teenager allegedly drove a Porsche into two IT professionals on a motorbike, resulted in their deaths.
The sessions court also remanded the teenager’s father, real estate developer Vishal Agarwal, and two hotel employees, Nitesh Shevani and Jayesh Gavkar, in police custody. Initially, the JJB had granted bail to the minor shortly after the accident, sparking significant criticism due to the severity of the incident and the lenient conditions of bail, which included writing a 300-word essay on road accidents.
Following the public outcry, the police sought a review of the JJB’s decision. They have charged the minor under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including culpable homicide not amounting to murder and causing death by negligence, as well as relevant sections of the Motor Vehicles Act. Police reports indicate that the teenager was intoxicated at the time of the accident.
The sessions court has also detained Agarwal and the hotel employees on charges related to the Juvenile Justice Act. Agarwal faces accusations of willful neglect and supplying intoxicating liquor to a minor. The police allege that Agarwal allowed his son to drive the car despite knowing he lacked a license and permitted him to consume alcohol at a hotel prior to the incident.
Agarwal was apprehended in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The prosecution has sought a seven-day police custody to investigate why Agarwal allowed his son to drive a car without a number plate and why he absconded after the incident. Additionally, the prosecution claims the minor refused an offer from a companion to drive the car at the time of the accident.
The incident has also sparked a political debate. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis criticized Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for politicizing the issue, while Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve questioned Fadnavis’s intentions behind his visit to Pune following the crash. Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi leader Prakash Ambedkar also criticized the police for their handling of the victims and the accused.
Victims Anish Awadhiya and Ashwini Koshta, both 24-year-old IT professionals from Madhya Pradesh, were killed in the early hours of Sunday near Kalyani Nagar junction when the Porsche allegedly driven by the teenager hit them.
The controversial bail order had stated that the teenager’s grandfather assured the court that he would keep the child away from bad company and focused on his studies. The order’s lenient approach, especially the essay-writing condition, was met with significant backlash on social media.
The case continues to unfold as the court and investigative bodies respond to the public demand for justice.