Pune Porsche Case: Action Will Be Taken Despite Minor's Bail Verdict, Assures CM Shinde

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde assured the families of the victims to take strict action against the minor accused in the Pune Porsche Case despite the Bombay High Court ordering his release. CM Shinde, on Monday, met the families of the victims and announced Rs 10 lakh aid for each of the families.

Fast-Track Execution

Assuring the families of the victim, Shinde, in an elongated post on X in Marathi, wrote, "The parents of the children who died in the Porsche hit and run case in Pune city today met at Varsha's residence. Omprakash Koshta, father of Anish Koshta, and Suresh Koshta, father of Ashwini Koshta, were consoled at the same time. The incident was unfortunate and the culprits will be severely punished."

Strict Action Against Guilty, Says Shinde

He added, "Even though the minor accused in this incident has been released, it is said that the case has been taken up afresh and action has been taken against all those who are guilty. It was also clarified that the case will be fast-tracked and a strict regime will be imposed on the culprits. We fully understand the grief caused by the sudden death of the young children. It has been decided to provide Rs 10 lakh each from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund as a special consideration to the families of these two deceased children."

Prashant Patil, lawyer of the minor accused, told ANI, "Today we challenged the three remands of the juvenile justice board before the high court... We argued...and released for his immediate release. Today, the court has directed for the release. The custody has to be granted to the paternal aunt..."

Bombay HC Orders Release of Accused Minor

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday ordered that a 17-year-old boy allegedly involved in the Porsche car accident in Pune last month be released immediately from an observation home. The teen, who the police claim was drunk and driving the luxury car when it hit a two-wheeler in the early hours of May 19 killing two techies, was lodged at an observation home in Pune. A division bench of Justices Bharati Dangre and Manjusha Deshpande quashed the orders issued by the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) remanding the minor to the observation home.

"We allow the petition and order his release. The CCL (Child in Conflict with Law) shall be in the care and custody of the petitioner (paternal aunt)," the court said.

'JJB's Order's Illegal, Passed Sans Jurisdiction'

The bench noted the JJB's remand orders were illegal and passed without jurisdiction. The court said amid the "immediate reaction to the accident, the kneejerk reaction and the public outcry, the CCL's age was not considered." "The CCL is under 18 years old. His age needs to be considered," the bench said. It said the court was bound by law, the aims and objectives of the Juvenile Justice Act and must treat him as any child in conflict with the law separately from the adult, despite the seriousness of the crime. "CCLs are to be considered differently," the HC said.

The court said the accused is already under rehabilitation, which is the primary objective, and he is already referred to a psychologist and the same shall be continued. The order was passed in a plea filed by the 17-year-old boy's paternal aunt, who claimed he was illegally detained and sought his immediate release.

Pune Porsche Case Explained

The accident took place in the early hours of May 19. The teen was granted bail the same day by the JJB and ordered to be under the care and supervision of his parents and grandfather. The police later filed an application before the JJB, seeking an amendment of the bail order. On May 22, the board ordered the boy to be taken into custody and remanded him to an observation home. The boy's aunt in the plea claimed that because of the public uproar coupled with political agenda, the police deviated from the right course of investigation concerning the minor, thus defeating the entire purpose of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act. (with PTI inputs)