In a stark reminder of Delhi's BMW hit-and-run case, a similar incident in Pune, Maharashtra, has recently caught attention. This comes a week after the case took an interesting turn, with the latest developments occurring on Saturday.
The Pune police on Saturday arrested Surendra Kumar Agarwal, grandfather of the accused minor boy who mowed down two IT professionals on May 19. Surendra has been booked for allegedly threatening and confining the family driver Gangaram Poojari and forcing him to take the blame for the Porsche car accident on his head in return for a monetary consideration.
Poojari is a witness in the case.
Earlier, Vishal Agarwal - the father of the minor boy was arrested on Tuesday. He is being investigated for offences registered under sections 75 (wilful neglect of a child, or exposing a child to mental or physical illnesses) and 77 of the Juvenile Justice Act (supplying a child with intoxicating liquor or drugs.
The Agarwal family owns the Brahma Group, a real estate and construction company, which was founded by Brahmadatt Agarwal, in Pune.
It may be recalled that in the small hours of May 19, the 17-year-old boy — after partying with his friends at a Pune bar — who had driven off in his Porsche car in his inebriated state at a speed of some 200 kmph and rammed into a motorcycle killing Ashwini Koshta and Aneesh Awadhiya (both aged 24 years) who were returning home after a reunion with friends.
The incident had triggered massive protests in Pune so much so that a chastened Pune Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) -- which had earlier on Monday granted bail to the minor -- revised its order on Wednesday and remanded him to Observation Home till June 5.
Briefing media persons about the arrest of the accused boy's grandfather Surendra Agrawal, Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar said the Agarwals allegedly tried to lure the driver, Gangaram Poojari with cash to claim responsibility for the accident committed by the minor boy. "When the driver didn't agree to take the responsibility for the mishap, they threatened and confined him for 2 days at their home," he said.
Kumar said the driver, a prime witness in the case, was forced to make a statement that he was at the wheel of Porsche PUNE car at the time of the accident in an effort to save the minor boy, but the latter refused to oblige Agrawals.
The senior-most Agrawal who was arrested after interrogation around 3 am, was produced before a Pune court which remanded him in police custody till May 28.
The Pune police chief said after the mishap, Surendra Kumar Agarwal and his builder son Vishal Agarwal - who is currently in judicial custody for 14 days - went and picked up the driver (Pujari) who was going home. They took away his mobile, confined him to a room, prevented him from going out or speaking with anybody.
"The Agarwals tried to lure Pujari by offering him cash and asking him to take responsibility for the mishap. But, the driver did not agree to their request. Later, Agrawals confined Pujar to their home and threatened him with dire consequences," Kumar said.
When Pujari did not return home the next day, his anxious wife and some other relatives went to the Agarwal home, where she screamed and created a scene prompting Agrawals to let the driver go home.
Subsequently, the Pune police summoned Pujari to the police station and recorded his statement. In his statement, Pujari told the police that the Agrawals forced him to accept responsibility for the crime in place of the accused minor boy.
Following the statement by the driver, the police arrested the accused boy's grandfather in the early hours of Saturday.
The Pune police had on Friday suspended two police officials - Police Inspector Rahul Jagdale and Assistant Police Inspector Vishwanath Todkar, both attached to the Yerawada Police Station for their alleged inept handling of the case at the initial stages.
