Pune Porsche Accident: Maharashtra Deputy CM Fadnavis Condemns Lenient Punishment for Teen In Fatal Crash, Calls For Stronger Action
Pune Porsche Accident: Maharashtra Deputy CM Fadnavis Condemns Lenient Punishment for Teen In Fatal Crash, Calls For Stronger Action
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has vowed to take stringent action against the 17-year-old boy who fatally crashed his luxury car into a motorbike, resulting in the death of two IT professionals on the spot. Fadnavis criticized the Juvenile Justice Board’s decision to impose a lenient punishment on the teen, which includes writing a 300-word essay on accidents, working with the traffic police for 15 days, and undergoing counseling for his drinking. He questioned the appropriateness of such a mild response given the severity of the crime.
The incident occurred in Kalyani Nagar, Pune, where the Porsche, allegedly driven by the intoxicated minor, hit two individuals, throwing one 20 feet into the air and flinging the other into a parked car. Witnesses confirmed the gruesome details of the early Sunday morning crash.
Fadnavis revealed that an appeal against the Juven
ile Justice Board’s decision has been filed with the district court, highlighting the significant public outrage over the case. He has been closely monitoring the investigation.
The accused, the son of a prominent realtor in Pune, had been drinking with friends at a bar hours before the accident. The police have since arrested the bar owners for serving alcohol to minors, as the legal drinking age in Maharashtra is 25. Reports indicate the teen visited two restaurants with a group of friends, where they were served alcohol.
Highlighting the gravity of the situation, Fadnavis noted that, based on the Nirbhaya case precedent, individuals over 16 should be treated as adults in heinous crime cases. Despite being apprehended, the teen was granted bail within 15 hours, igniting public outrage. The father has also been arrested under the Juvenile Justice Act for neglect and supplying alcohol to a minor.
To prevent similar incidents, Fadnavis outlined government measures, including stricter enforcement against establishments violating alcohol laws and increased drunk driving checks.
The case has also led to political tensions, with Uddhav Thackeray camp leader Sanjay Raut criticizing the Pune Police for the perceived delay in action. Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar defended the police efforts, stating they had sought to try the minor as an adult, but the Juvenile Justice Board rejected the request. The police have now taken the matter to the District Court and have arrested the owner of Cosie Bar for illegally serving alcohol to minors.
Kumar emphasized the police’s commitment to building a robust case against the teen, aiming to charge him with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, irrespective of the blood test results.
