Pune:

The case against the Pune teen – who killed two people early Sunday while drunk and driving his father’s Rs 2.5 crore Porsche supercar – took an additional twist Thursday evening.

The police will now also investigate potential lapses in protocol in the hours following the incident, including possible preferential treatment for the 17-year-old son of a prominent city builder.

Specifically, a senior cop – Assistant Commissioner of Police Ashwini Rakh – will question officers and staff at the police station in Yerwada where the complaint was first filed. The allegations include underplaying the horrific nature of the incident in the first write-ups and delaying a medical examination, which should have been done immediately to establish the boy’s blood alcohol level.

But perhaps most shocking is a claim that the cops were more interested in ‘investigating’ Aneesh Awadhiya and Ashwini Koshta – the 24-year-old software professionals who were killed.

Pizza, Burger For Teen In Pune Porsche Crash?

Meanwhile, an opposition politician has said the boy was handled cautiously and even given food – pizzas and burgers – while in police custody as an accused in a stomach-churning road accident.

The claim was made by Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi chief and two-time ex-Lok Sabha MP Prakash Ambedkar, who posted on X, “Officers at Yerwada Police Station spent more time questioning the relationship between Anish and Ashwini – IT professionals fatally knocked down by drunk minor -while the accused was allegedly served burger and pizza”, and posed six questions to the cops.

Officers at Yerawada police station spent more time questioning the relationship between Anish and Ashwini — the two IT professionals who were fatally knocked down by the drunk minor — while the accused was allegedly served burger and pizza.

This is how the system benefits the…

— Prakash Ambedkar (@Prksh_Ambedkar) May 22, 2024

Among the questions he raised (and which may now be answered) were the eight-hour delay in administering a blood alcohol test and why the boy was not sent directly to a remand home.

READ | “1 Hour TV, 2 Hours Play Time”: Pune Teen’s Remand Home Schedule

There was outrage after the Juvenile Board gave the boy bail within 15 hours on conditions as ridiculous as two bonds of Rs 7,500 each and writing a 300-word essay on road accidents. Late Wednesday that order was revised and the boy was sent to a remand home till June 5.

At present the boy faces a drunk driving charge that, for a first-time offence, limits punishment to six months jail and a fine of Rs 10,000. A charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder will be levied should the Juvenile Board allow him to be tried as an adult.

Rahul Gandhi On Pune Porsche Crash

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has also questioned the cops over preferential treatment for the boy, asking why accused in similar cases – if they are auto or cab drivers – don’t get bail as quickly.

READ | With 7 Conditions, Teen Porsche Driver Got Bail On Grandad’s Say

“When a teen from a rich family drinks alcohol and kills two people in a Porsche… he is told to pen an ‘essay’. Why are bus, truck, and auto drivers, or cabbies, not asked to write such essays?”

“The question is of equal justice (for) the poor and prosperous…” he said.

Father’s Mobile Phone Found

Police have also found the mobile phone of the boy’s father, who was arrested the day after the incident from Sambhajinagar (earlier Aurangabad) after an elaborate rescue plan was thwarted.

READ | Pune Teen’s Father Had Big Escape Plan. How Was He Caught?

The phone – understood to be the father’s original, which he left at home while trying to escape the cops – is now in the custody of the Crime Branch, which says he is not cooperating with the probe.

The father faces a charge of willful neglect of his son under Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act.

NDTV Explains | Charges Against Pune Builder, Son Who Killed 2 With Porsche

The bar where the boy was served alcohol has been sealed, and its owner and staff are in police custody. They are being investigated for selling liquor to an under-aged individual.

At 17 years and 8 months, the boy was four months short of the legal age for driving and eight years shy of Maharashtra’s legal drinking age, which is 25.

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Pune:

A morning wake-up call, a healthy breakfast, and prayers, followed by three hours of studying languages – this is not the daily schedule of a school or college student. This is the schedule the 17-year-old Pune teen – who was “heavily drunk” and driving his father’s Rs 2.5 crore Porsche supercar when he killed two people – will be expected to follow at a remand home for juvenile accused.

Sources told NDTV the daily schedule at the remand home – to which the boy has been sent till June 5 – begins with a breakfast of poha, upma, eggs, and milk. Breakfast will be served from 8 to 10 am.

The boys will be given an hour’s rest after which a daily prayer session will be convened.

From 11 am to 1 pm the inmates will attend classes, and the rest from 1 to 4 pm.

At 4 pm snacks will be served, and this will be followed by an hour of TV time and two hours of outdoor play time; volleyball and football will be the sports offered.

At 7 pm the juvenile inmates will eat dinner – vegetables, dal, rice, and rotis.

At 8 pm they will head back to their dormitory and turn in for the night.

14-Day Remand For Pune Teen

Late Wednesday night the Juvenile Justice Board – which was heavily criticised for granting bail, within 15 hours of the horrific incident, on terms as ridiculous as two bonds of Rs 7,500 each and writing a 300-word essay – modified its order, and sent the boy to a city remand home till June 5.

READ | Pune Teen Who Killed 2 With Porsche Sent To Remand Home

A copy of the bail order seen by NDTV listed seven conditions for bail, including an ‘assurance’ from the family (given by his grandfather) that the boy will be kept away from “bad company”.

READ | With 7 Conditions, Teen Porsche Driver Got Bail On Grandad’s Say

The boy’s lawyer – also representing the father who was arrested and charged with willful neglect of his child – claimed the order had been changed to reflect a potential threat to the teen’s life.

Charges Against Pune Teen

At present the boy faces a drunk driving charge that, for a first-time offence, limits punishment to six months jail and a fine of Rs 10,000. A second, more serious, charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder will be levied should the Juvenile Board allow him to be tried as an adult.

Speaking to NDTV on Tuesday, Pune Police chief Amitesh Kumar said a “watertight case” is being made. The cops will argue the boy “had the knowledge his rash act was likely to cause death.”

A decision on this is expected later today.

Charges Against Father, Bar

The boy is the son of a prominent city-based realtor, who went on the run after his son rammed into the two-wheeler and killed Aneesh Awadhiya and Ashwini Koshta. The father was arrested the next day from Sambhajinagar (earlier called Aurangabad) after cops thwarted an elaborate rescue plan.

READ | “Cops Have Evidence?” Pune Teen’s Lawyer On Case Against Dad

The same lawyer, speaking to NDTV, scoffed at the idea the father could be convicted, arguing the most crucial point – proof that he had knowledge of his son’s actions – could not be proven.

NDTV Explains | Charges Against Pune Builder, Son Who Killed 2 With Porsche

At 17 years and 8 months, the boy was four months short of the legal age for driving.

He was also nearly eight years shy of the legal drinking age in Maharashtra, which is 25.

READ | CCTV Shows Pune Teen Drinking In Pub Before Porsche Crash

As a result, the bar where he and his friends went to celebrate passing the Class 12 exam has been sealed, and its owner and staff have been questioned over serving liquor to minors. CCTV footage from the establishment showed the boy and his friends at a table loaded with alcohol bottles.

Pune Porsche Accident – What Happened?

According to witnesses, the accident took place at 2.15 am on Saturday.

READ | CCTV Shows Speeding Porsche Moments Before Crash Killed 2

The speeding Porsche – reportedly driven at 200 km per hour – rammed the bike driven by Mr Awadhiya. Witnesses said he was flung into a parked car and Ms Costa was thrown 20 feet in the air.

The families have demanded the shocking incident be treated as “murder’.

Maharashtra Government Reacts

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was forced into a public statement after the Juvenile Board’s initial order, condemning the “lenient” punishment calling for a meeting with the cops.

READ | “How Can Board Give Such Order?” Fadnavis On Porsche Crash

“We have appealed to the district court against the Juvenile Board order. There is a huge public outrage. I have taken stock of the investigation updates till now,” he said, adding, “Officials will take closure action against pubs where violations are found and there will be drunk driving checks…”

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