Pune Porsche Car Accident Case | JJB Remands Minor Accused To Observation Home Till June 5

The Juvenile Justice Board, Pune today cancelled the bail granted to the teenager accused of driving the Porsche car involved in a collision which caused deaths of two persons, and remanded him to an observation home till June 5, 2024, PTI reported.

The JJB had granted bail to the minor driver on Sunday. The bail conditions required him to visit the Regional Transport Office, study traffic rules, and submit a 300-word essay on road accidents and their solutions to the Board within 15 days. The Board also directed the minor's parents to ensure he does not engage in similar offenses in the future, undergoes counselling, seeks help to quit drinking, and is kept away from bad company.

Today, the JJB allowed the state's review application filed under section 104 of Juvenile Justice Act challenging the bail order. Advocates Prashant Patil and Abid Mulani represented the minor accused.

The state has also filed an application under sections 15 and 18(3) seeking to try him as an adult, which will be decided in due course. 

The juvenile's father, a real estate developer, has also been booked in the case under Sections 75 and 77 of the Juvenile Justice Act, which pertain to wilful neglect and supplying intoxicating substances to a minor, respectively. The father allegedly allowed the minor accused, who did not have a valid driving license, to drive the car and permitted him to attend a party despite being aware of his drinking habits. Today, a court in Pune remanded him to police custody for two days.

The incident occurred on Sunday when the 17-year-old son of a prominent Pune builder, allegedly driving a Porsche car under the influence of alcohol, lost control and hit a motorcycle in the Kalyani Nagar area. The collision resulted in the deaths of two individuals who succumbed to their injuries on the spot. As per the FIR, the Porsche car did not have number plates.

The FIR against the minor was registered under sections 304A (causing death by negligence), 279 (rash driving), 337 and 338 (causing hurt by endangering life), and 427 (mischief) of the IPC. He is also booked under sections 184 (driving dangerously), 119 (duty to obey traffic signs) and 177 (general provision for punishment of offences) of the Motor Vehicles Act.

Subsequently, additional sections have been invoked against the minor including section 304 of IPC (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and section 185 of the Motor Vehicle Act (driving by a drunken person).

On the night of the incident, the accused and his friends allegedly consumed alcohol at Cosie and Blak establishments between 9:30 pm and 1 am. The fatal accident occurred around 3:15 am when the group of friends was returning from a party.

A Pune court on Tuesday sent three other accused in the case to police custody until May 24, 2024. The arrested individuals are Naman Prahlad Bhutada, owner of Cosie hotel, Sachin Katkar, bar counter manager at Cosie, and Sandip Sangle, manager of Blak club. They are accused of serving alcohol to the juvenile who was allegedly driving the car involved in the fatal accident.