Porsche crash case: Juvenile Justice Board revokes bail for teen involved in fatal accident
The Court for Juveniles will later decide whether to grant the police's request to try the minor (termed Child in Conflict with Law, or CCL) as an adult
The Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) on Wednesday revoked the bail of a teenager involved in a fatal accident that claimed the lives of two young technology professionals in Pune. The decision came after the police filed an application seeking a review of the JJB's May 19 order.
The teen, who was driving a Porsche under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident, has been remanded to the Nehru Udyog Kendra Observation Home in Yerawada for 14 days until June 5. The Court for Juveniles will later decide whether to grant the police's request to try the minor (termed Child in Conflict with Law, or CCL) as an adult, citing the accident as a "heinous crime".
The JJB had initially granted the minor bail within hours of the accident in Kalyaninagar on Sunday. The decision sparked massive public outcry in Pune, with Maharashta Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressing "shock" over the "lenient" conditions set by the board, which included writing an essay, assisting traffic police, and seeking medical help to quit alcohol.
Advocate Prashant Patil, representing the minor, said, "Today the JJB heard both the sides and ordered the CCL to be sent to observation home till June 5." He added that the JJB will monitor the teen's mental condition and de-addiction efforts for a period of 60 to 90 days before deciding whether to try the minor as an adult.
Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar stated, "We had filed a review application before the Juvenile Justice Board to allow the juvenile to be tried as an adult and also to send him in the remand home. The operative order was communicated to us by the Juvenile Justice Board and the said juvenile accused has been sent to the remand home for 15 days, till 5th June. The order of him being tried as an adult is awaited at the moment."
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who visited the Pune police commissionerate on Tuesday, defended his department and expressed surprise at the "extremely lenient" order given by the JJB. "The Juvenile Justice Board's order was shocking despite the police citing previous case laws and invoking Sections like 304 of IPC, culpable homicide not amounting to murder, in the FIR which is non bailable," Fadnavis said. He added that the police have approached the JJB with a plea to review its order, cancel the teen's bail, and try him as an adult.
