In a shocking incident, a Pune teenager knocked over 2 people with his car rendering them dead, on the spot. The tragic event that took place in Pune, Maharashtra, on May 19, 2024, has left the entire nation in extreme shock. The level of the crime was intense but its aftermath has birthed outrage amongst the citizens of the country. Keep reading to know the case.
Pune Porsche Accident Timeline
A 17-year-old, underage boy, took out his father’s Porsche and drove to a pub in the city with his friends to celebrate their Class 12th board exam results. The teenagers were served alcohol despite being minors. As per the Pune police reports, the teenage car collided with a motorbike carrying two IT engineers working in Pune, Anis Awadhiya and Ashwini Koshta rendering them to succumb to an on-the-spot death.
The CCTV footage clearly shows that the car was driving at a speed of about 200 kmph through a narrow lane. The accident that took place at 2:15 am on Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Pune's Kalyani Nagar area, gathered extreme crowd.
2 IT individuals killed by a 17-year-old drunken boy named Vedant Agarwal with a Porsche car 💔 He got bail as his father is a famous builder in Pune #VedantAgarwal#Pune#Porsche#Kalyaninagar#Accidentpic.twitter.com/npmqUJYd5M
— 𝕯𝖊𝖊𝖕𝖆𝖐🦅 (@Deepak32763716) May 21, 2024
A normal reaction to this horrific incident by the caretakers of law should be instant punishment of the criminal. However, this case turned out to be different as the accused was granted bail after a detention of about 15 hours, ordered to write a 300-word essay, help the traffic police for 15 days, and seek mandated therapy from a psychiatrist. Further, the pubs that served them alcohol despite Maharashtra’s legal drinking age being 25, Blak and Cosie, located in the Koregaon Park annexe have been sealed. The teenager’s father, a renowned builder, has been arrested by the Pune Police under sections 75 and 77 of the Juvenile Justice Act.
Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis expressed shock over "extremely lenient" bail granted to minor initially, as per Indian Express.
As per the Pune police, The minor admitted his father knew he was drinking. The CCTV footage shows the minor drinking with friends late Saturday.
On May 21, minor's father was detained under the Juvenile Justice Act for allowing his son to consume alcohol and drive the Porsche while drunk. According to the Indian Express, he was also booked under the Motor Vehicle Act for letting the minor drive without a license.
A friend of the deceased recounted, "We were on our way back when the accident happened. Everything ended in the blink of an eye."
Meanwhile, there are concerns regarding the timing of an MLA's visit to the police station late at night, which occurred less than an hour after the incident. The MLA, Sunil Tingre, asserts that his visit was not intended to exert pressure on the police.
Concerns have arisen regarding the timing of the blood alcohol test conducted on the minor involved in the incident. According to reports, there was a delay in administering the test, with the minor being taken to Sassoon hospital around 9 am and the sample collected approximately two hours later, around 11 am.
In response to speculation surrounding external pressures influencing decisions regarding bail and its revocation, the police commissioner adamantly refuted any such claims. He emphasized, "Absolutely not. We are under no pressure. There is no question of it. In fact, we have applied a stringent section… we have applied Section 304 of the IPC relating to culpable homicide not amounting to murder," during an interview with The Indian Express.
Following public outcry over the swift granting of bail, the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) took action by remanding the 17-year-old to an observation home until June 5. He is currently housed at the Nehru Udyog Kendra Observation Home. The board will later deliberate on the police's application to try the minor as an adult.
Moreover, police have arrested Dr. Taware, head of the state-run hospital's forensic medicine department, chief medical officer Dr. Shrihari Halnor, and staff member Atul Ghatkamble. They are accused of disposing of the minor's blood samples taken post-accident and substituting them with samples from another individual that showed no alcohol traces.
The Outrage That Followed
The heinous crime (Crime Against Women) by the juvenile and the bail conditions granted to him has caused an outrage that can only be put to rest after seeking justice for the dead. Netizens have expressed their despair and disappointment with the judiciary system of India as social media platforms are brimming with revolting comments and angry posts.
We spoke to our legal expertSiddharth Chandrashekhar, Advocate and Legal Counsel, Bombay High Court to understand the unfortunate occurrence from the judicial standpoint, "Since the accused is a minor, the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act act governs the handling of his case. However, given the severity, authorities may seek to try him as an adult under S. 15, which allows for this in cases of heinous crimes. The minor could face charges under sections for culpable homicide not amounting to murder (S. 304), rash and negligent driving (S. 279), and causing death by negligence (S. 304A) under the Indian Penal Code."
"The bar owner and manager should face the strongest legal action for serving alcohol to a minor, which is prohibited under various state excise laws. The father’s elaborate plan to evade arrest should also be scrutinised, and charges for obstruction of justice and conspiracy should be considered," he added.
The Pune case has now sparked outrage among netizens, who are questioning why the accused was granted bail under such lenient conditions given the gravity of the matter.
This is the car that crushed two people to death and was being driven by Vedant Agarwal 17 year guy in an inebriated condition who got bail in 8 hours —
— ĦẞôÑðĦ (@GULLUANNY) May 21, 2024
Indian Judiciary #VedantAgarwal#Porsche#EqualityForAll#puneaccident
Kya Insaaf milega ? pic.twitter.com/c7K0aPurZM
Speaking on the same, our legal expert said, "The bail conditions imposed are insufficient, irrespective of the driver's age considering the gravity of the offence. While educational measures like studying traffic rules and writing essays might be beneficial, they do not address the immediate risk posed by the accused's apparent reckless behaviour. The prosecution should argue for stricter bail conditions, such as electronic monitoring, a driving ban, and mandatory community service, to ensure public safety and accountability as well as act as a future deterrent."
"This tragic incident highlights and brings to the forefront the need for strict enforcement of laws regarding underage drinking and the responsibilities of establishments serving alcohol. Additionally, it highlights the necessity for a robust juvenile justice system capable of addressing severe crimes by minors in a manner that balances rehabilitation with accountability. The legal actions taken should aim to serve justice for the victims while reinforcing societal norms against underage drinking and reckless behaviour."
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