Pune Porsche accident: Bar where teen drank with friends sealed
Officials on Tuesday sealed a Pune bar that served alcohol to a 17-year-old boy and his friends in the early hours of Sunday. The drunk teen later drove a Porsche into a bike, killing two people. Maharashtra's legal drinking age is 25, making it illegal to serve them liquor. The bar was shut down a day after police filed a case against it. To recall, CCTV footage confirmed the boy and his friends were served alcohol inside the establishment.
Boy's father, pubs' staff arrested
On Tuesday, Pune police arrested Cosie restaurant owner Pralhad Bhutda, manager Sachin Katkar, and Hotel Blak manager Sandip Sangle for allegedly serving alcohol to a juvenile. Earlier, the 17-year-old's father was arrested in Aurangabad for allowing his underage son to drive an unregistered Porsche without a license. Both—the boy's father and the pubs—face charges under Sections 75 and 77 of the Juvenile Justice Act, relating to neglect of minors and supplying them with liquor or narcotics.
2 engineers from MP killed
The accident occurred around 2:15am on Sunday when 24-year-olds Aneesh Awadhiya and Ashwini Koshta, both engineers from Madhya Pradesh working in Pune were returning from a get-together. Eyewitnesses reported that the Porsche, which had no number plates, was speeding at over 200km per hour. The minor behind the wheel was detained shortly after, but was released on bail within 15 hours, leading to political and civil society pressure. The case has now been handed to Pune Police's Crime Branch.
Bail conditions of the teenager
The Pune teen was granted bail after the court said that the crime was not "serious" enough to deny him bail. The bail was, however, granted on certain conditions, including undergoing psychiatric evaluation and treatment, working alongside traffic police for 15 days, and writing a 300-word essay on the "effect of road accidents and their solution," among others.
Victim's family demands justice, police seek adult trial
The family of the victims has demanded that the boy's bail be cancelled. Koshta's uncles, Jugal Kishore and Sachin Bokde, said, "It is condemnable he got bail in 15 hours. He and his parents should be investigated...because of him...an innocent girl...who had seen nothing of life, has died." After public outrage over the Juvenile Justice Board's decision to grant bail to the minor, Pune police have filed an application with the sessions court to try the juvenile as an adult.
Deputy CM promises strict action
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has promised strong action against the teen. Fadnavis condemned the JJB's "lenient" punishment for the boy. "How can the Juvenile Justice Board give such an order...We have appealed to the district court against...[it]," he said. "Administration has been alerted to take closure action against those pubs where violations are found and drink driving checks by police on important places," he added.
