Pune Porsche Crash: Bombay High Court Releases Teen, Terms Arrest Illegal
The recent accident reported from Pune, where a 17-year-old boy killed two IT professionals with his father’s Porsche Taycan electric sedan, has once again taken a new turn. It has been reported that the Bombay High Court has ordered the release of the minor accused. Vedant Agarwal, the 17-year-old, was apprehended and taken to an observation home from which he has now been released. As per the reports, the Bombay High Court has stated that the remand orders are illegal and without jurisdiction.
Recent Verdict by the Bombay High Court
The Bombay High Court on Tuesday ruled in favor of releasing the minor Vedant Agarwal accused. This verdict came after a habeas corpus plea was filed by his paternal aunt. The court highlighted that the remand orders issued by the magistrate and the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) were illegal.
It stated that the orders passed on May 22 and June 4, due to which the accused was sent to an observation home despite him being granted bail initially, were against the laws. The High Court emphasized that these orders were passed without jurisdiction and are contrary to the principles of the Juvenile Justice Act.
The Bombay High Court also highlighted that the Juvenile Justice Act requires treating minors in conflict with the law differently from adults. It stressed the importance of rehabilitation over punitive measures. It also added that the minor had already been referred to a psychologist and should continue these sessions.
The court has now directed that the minor should be placed under the care of his paternal aunt. It added that such cases need to be handled with sensitivity to the juvenile’s age and mental health.
Arrests of Family Members
Prior to this recent judgment passed by the Bombay High Court, it was reported that the minor’s mother, Shivani Agarwal, was also arrested. The reason behind her arrest was her involvement in a scheme to swap her blood sample with her son’s to deceive authorities. This was done by her to mislead the police authorities about his intoxication levels at the time of the crash.
This action was part of a broader effort by the family to protect the minor from the legal repercussions of his actions. The investigation also revealed that a network of medical professionals was also involved in this blood sample swapping and evidence tampering.
Dr. Ajay Taware, head of the forensic medicine department at Sassoon General Hospital, along with Dr. Shrihari Halnor and hospital staffer Atul Ghatkamble, were also arrested for their roles in the blood sample tampering. The scheme came to light when a subsequent blood test confirmed the presence of alcohol in the minor’s system, which contradicted the initial false reports.
Father and Grandfather Were Also Arrested
In addition to his mother, the minor’s father, Vishal Agarwal, was also arrested on multiple charges. His charges included attempting to pressurize their family driver into taking responsibility for the accident.
Along with him, the minor’s grandfather also faced similar charges. The investigation revealed that they had kidnapped the driver. They then confined him to their home in an attempt to force a false confession. Both the father and grandfather were remanded in judicial custody.
The Tragic Incident
For those who may not be aware, the tragic accident occurred on May 19 in Pune’s Kalyani Nagar. The 17-year-old minor Vedant Agarwal was driving his father’s silver Porsche Taycan worth Rs 2.4 crore.
It was reported that he was driving the car at speeds upwards of 200 kmph. He was also under the influence of alcohol, and due to this, he then collided with a two-wheeler, resulting in the deaths of two young IT professionals. These two people were Aneesh Awadhiya and Ashwini Koshta. Following the crash, the Juvenile Justice Board granted the minor bail with lenient conditions, including writing a 300-word essay on road safety.