The Pune police on Tuesday arrested four more persons, including a prominent builder in the sensational mishap involving in a Porsche car driven by 17 year-old drunken boy, in which two IT professionals were killed, even as chief minister Eknath Shinde ordered a detailed probe into the shoddy manner in which the police allegedly handled the case in the initial
stages.
The police arrested Pune’s prominent city builder Vishal Agarwal – the father of an inebriated 17-year-old boy who killed 2 IT professionals -- as Ashwini Koshta and Aneesh Awadhiya (both 24) who were returning on a motorcycle after attending a friend’s get-together.
Sr Agrawal has been arrested 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).
Also arrested were the owner, manager and bartender of Cosie Bar and Restaurant for allegedly serving alcohol to the minor boy and his friends.
The Porsche car mishap has caused a public uproar in Mumbai, with the people from various walks of life questioning the manner in which Pune’s Yerwada tried to protect the inebriated accused minor boy ( name has been withheld because of his age) who was at the wheels when the mishap took place
The citizens staged a dharna in front of the Yerwada police on Tuesday to protest against “special treatment” meted to the accused boy involved in the incident and demand justice to the families of the two IT professionals killed in the mishap.
“We have learnt that an MLA belonging to the ruling NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) intervened and spoke to the Yerwada police. That’s why the police gave special treatment to the accused minor boy. It is unfortunate that the police have tried to trivalise such a serious incident in which a minor boy under the influence of alcohol was driving the car at a speed of 24 km per hour when he knocked down the couple on Sunday. We have come to demand justice for harshest punishment to the accused and justice to the accused families,” senior Journalist and RTI activist Vinita Deshmukh who was among the citizens gathered in front of the police station said.
The chief minister ordered an inquiry into the incident, after the Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar and Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut alleged that the police were trying to protect the accused minor boy who comes from a wealthy family.
While Wadettiwar demanded a judicial probe into the incident, Raut rooted for the removal of Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar for his questionable conduct.
What has surprised Punekars is the fact that the Pune Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) on Monday granted bail to the accused minor boy involved in the mishap within 15 hours of his arrest.
While granting bail, the JJB showed leniency to the boy, by asking him write a 300-word essay on road mishaps, work with the local traffic police for 15 days and undergo counselling for his drinking habit.
Meanwhile, deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has promised stern action against the accused teenager and condemned the “lenient” punishment meted out by the Pune JJB to the accused minor boy. How can the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Board pass such an order?", Fadnavis asked.
On his part, Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar has denied that the police was under pressure to play down the incident. “We are under no pressure. We have booked the accused boy under section Section 304(2) of IPC (culpable homicide not amounting to murder,” Kumar said.