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Pune Porsche accident: Father of minor accused held for death of two techies

The minor’s father, identified as Vishal Agarwal, was arrested from the Sambhajinagar area of the Aurangabad district in Maharashtra.

Pune Porsche accident: Father of minor accused held for death of two techies

Police on Tuesday detained the father of a teenage driver involved in the Pune Porsche accident that claimed two lives, besides arresting three others accused in the case.

The speeding Porsche hit two IT professionals – Aneesh Awadhiya and Ashwini Koshta – who were riding a bike in the Kalyani Nagar area at around 2.15 am on Sunday when their bike was bit by the speeding car from behind. Both the victims, who were reportedly returning after attending a get-together, died on the spot.

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The minor’s father, identified as Vishal Agarwal, was arrested from the Sambhajinagar area of the Aurangabad district in Maharashtra while the three others have been sent to police custody till 24 May by a special court in Pune.

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Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis held a meeting with Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar and other senior officials at the CP office and took stock of the matter.

The bar where the Pune teenager partied before mowing the two IT professionals by his luxury car was sealed today. The state excise department’s action against Cosie bar comes two days after the fatal crash.

The father of the teenager has been charged under Sections 75 and 77 of the Juvenile Justice Act which pertain to “wilful neglect of a child and providing intoxicating substances to a minor, respectively”. The case has now been transferred to Pune Police’s crime branch amid the claims of the victim’s family that it was a murder, not an accident.

Investigation revealed that the minor had consumed alcohol at a local pub and was drunk when the car rammed into the bike. CCTV footage from the pub showed the boy drinking with his friends hours before the accident to celebrate his class 12 results.

Amid the allegations from the Opposition that the Pune Police meted out the minor accused with favourable treatment, Commissioner Amitesh Kumar on Tuesday said they have taken a stringent view of the crash that led to the death of two young engineers.

Opposition leaders, including those from the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, alleged that weaker sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) were invoked in the accident under political pressure because of the “money power” of the minor boy’s father.

CP Amitesh Kumar said, “…We’ve filed an application in the district court that the juvenile accused should be treated like an adult as this is a very heinous case, we believe that we will get a favourable order in it. The second case was registered against a total of 5 people including the father and the management of the pub.”

He further said, “We have received calls from the Chief Minister (Eknath Shinde), Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister (Devendra Fadnavis), Deputy Chief Minister and Guardian Minister (Ajit Pawar), and the Director General of Police. All of their directions are very clear that the police have to take the strictest possible stand in this case, to clear the doubts in the minds of people that the police are not taking strict action”.

“The government’s stand is that stringent action be taken against those responsible for the accident in which two lives have been lost. We have been acting on the same lines since day one. There is no pressure on the police from anyone,” added the Pune Police commissioner, adding three people were arrested yesterday and would be produced in court today.

“His father and another accused have been taken into custody today and are being brought to Pune. After completing the formalities they will be produced in the court tomorrow…The most stringent possible sections have been applied. If any legal expert can suggest a more stringent path than this, then I am ready for debate on any platform…Why was there no number plate on the car, all these things are being investigated.,” the CP told the reporters.

National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) Chairperson Priyank Kanoongo said the identity of the accused, a minor, should not be disclosed. “It is wrong to give a car and serve alcohol to a minor. The police have lodged an FIR against the accused. An FIR is lodged against his father too… The police have done their work. Now, the law will do its job. But, the minor’s identity must not be revealed in any case… ”

The owner and the manager of the pub have also been arrested for serving alcohol to minors.

The accused was detained after the accident but got bail on May 19 in a record 15 hours by the Juvenile Justice Board, which also asked him to write a “300-word essay” on the topic of road accidents.

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