Pune:
The Pune teen who ran over two techies with a speeding Porsche was given the car keys and a credit card by his grandfather that night, investigations have revealed. Questioned by the police, the grandfather yesterday said he hadn’t realised the consequences of his decision to allow the minor to drive.
Pune Police have constructed a sequence of events of the fateful night when the Porsche crashed into a bike, killing two 24-year-old techies. The 17-year-old teen driver’s grandfather and driver were questioned on Thursday.
The boy, the son of a prominent real estate developer, had gone out with two of his friends to celebrate their Class 12 board exam results, the police said.
Trusting his grandson, the boy’s grandfather handed over the car keys to the minor and provided him with a credit card to cover the party expenses. During interrogation, the grandfather expressed his regret and said he had no inkling of the impending tragedy, sources said.
The minor drove his family’s Porsche from their bungalow in Vadgaon Sherry to Koji Pub and later to Block Club. Accompanying him were the family’s driver and other staff members, who followed in a separate car.
At the pub, the boy and his friends allegedly ran up a bill of Rs 48,000. Witnesses report that the teen appeared drunk when he emerged from the Block Club. Despite his condition, the boy insisted on driving the Porsche. The driver, adhering to safety concerns, took the car out of the parking lot but called the boy’s father at the minor’s insistence.
The father, now arrested, allegedly instructed the driver to let his son drive and sit next to him in the car. The driver complied, sitting in the passenger seat, while two of the boy’s friends occupied the back seat, police sources said.
The investigation has highlighted significant lapses in judgment and control. The police have requested the Juvenile Court that the boy be tried as an adult, noting that he was aware of the consequences of drink driving.
The boy had initially been granted bail by the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB), which asked him to write a 300-word essay on accidents, among other conditions. Following an outcry over the quick bail and the conditions, the board on Wednesday ordered the teen back to an observation home till June 5.
As the investigation continues, Pune Police are emphasizing the need for stringent measures to prevent such incidents in the future, underscoring the devastating consequences of reckless behavior on the road.
