Pune: In what will be a disappointment for the families of the two IT professionals knocked down and killed by a recklessly-driven Porsche in Pune in the wee hours of May 19, 2024, the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) ruled on Tuesday that the teenager driving the high-end car during the crash will be treated as a minor.
The Porsche was being driven by the 17-year-old in an inebriated state. Soon after leaving a pub that served him liquor after closing hours, he drove the car at high speed and knocked down the two IT professionals – Aneesh Awadhiya and Ashwini Koshta – who were on a two-wheeler in Pune’s Kalyani Nagar.
After arrest, the accused teenager was enlarged on bail by the JJB on condition that he was to write a 300-word essay on road safety. This led to public outcry, forcing the police to revisit the case and send the teenager to an observation home. The Bombay High Court later ordered his release.
The teenager’s mother was also arrested in June last year on charges of swapping her blood sample with that of her son’s to conceal alcohol consumption at the time of the crash. She allegedly paid Rs 3 lakh to get this done. The Supreme Court later granted her interim bail.
During hearing, Special Public Prosecutor Shishir Hiray argued that the 17-year-old, was driving under the influence of alcohol and booked under Section 304 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) that deals with culpable homicide not amounting to murder and Section 467 (forgery) for alleged tampering of blood samples.
“Both offences are punishable by over 10 years and are categorised as heinous under the Juvenile Justice Act. The accused minor knows the consequences and must face trial as an adult,” Hiray had told the JJB.
Defence lawyer Prashant Patil, had opposed the plea, stating that the Juvenile Justice Act was intended for rehabilitation and reform. He cited a Supreme Court judgment to argue that the charges do not necessarily qualify as ‘heinous’ under the Act. “The board must consider the child’s potential for reform. Trying him as an adult would go against the spirit of juvenile justice,” he said.