Pune Porsche Crash Left 2 Dead. Drunk Driver, 17, Won't Be Tried As Adult
The main accused in the Pune Porsche crash case - in which an allegedly drunk teenager rammed his father's Rs 2.5 crore electric supercar into a two-wheeler and killed two software professionals - cannot be tried as an adult now, despite having crossed that threshold, the Juvenile Justice Board has said.
The main accused - out 'celebrating' exam results by heavy underage drinking, and running up a bill of Rs 48,000 in just 90 minutes - was 17 years old at the time of the tragic incident; he was four months short of the legal age for driving and eight years shy of Maharashtra's legal drinking age, which is 25.
The crash, and the death of Aneesh Awadhiya and Ashwini Koshta, both from Madhya Pradesh and both just 24, led to outrage, particularly since the accused is the son of a prominent Pune businessman and the local police were accused of deliberately mishandling critical evidence to ensure his release.
This included feeding him burgers immediately after the crash to hide or dilute the alcohol in his bloodstream. Local police reportedly also did not alert their superiors, as required to by law.
There were also questions asked of the medical professionals involved, including doctors tasked with extracting and securing samples from the accused to test for blood alcohol levels.
CCTV footage of the Pune Porsche car crash case accused at a city bar.
It soon transpired the blood samples had been replaced with those of his mother - who was arrested and then released in April - in a crude attempt to conceal the fact he was driving while drunk.
And finally the Juvenile Justice Board itself faced scrutiny after allowing the boy bail 15 hours after the crash. The conditions imposed - one was to write a 300-word essay - were slammed as 'ridiculous'.
READ | With 7 Conditions, Teen Porsche Driver Got Bail On Grandad's Say
Faced with backlash over these conditions, the JJB then directed the boy be placed in the custody of state authorities. However, this order was countered by the Bombay High Court.
Last year Pune Police had sought permission to try the main accused - the others included members of his family for trying to destroy evidence - as an adult, citing his "heinous" act.
In May, exactly a year after the crash, and with no sign of justice for his son Anish, Om Awadhiya said, "Our son is no longer with us; nothing can compensate for that loss, but justice would send a strong message against drunk driving and those who believe money and power put them above the law."
"This entire year has been painful for me, my wife, and our whole family. Not a single day goes by without us remembering him and cherishing his beautiful memories. After Anish's tragic death, our world has come crashing down," Mr Awadhiya, who lives in Madhya Pradesh, said.
At present the boy's father, doctors Ajay Taware and Shrihari Halnor, hospital employee Atul Ghatkamble, and two middlemen are in jail in connection with this case.
The boy remains with his family.
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