Pune: On Wednesday, the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) prolonged the observation home remand of a 17-year-old youth until June 25. The teenager, allegedly involved in a vehicular calamity resulting in the demise of two IT engineers in Pune, remains under counseling and ongoing investigation, as submitted by the police.
In the early hours of May 19, the adolescent, piloting a Porsche, collided with a motorbike, tragically ending the lives of IT professionals Anish Awadhiya and Ashwini Koshta, both from Madhya Pradesh, in Kalyani Nagar. Authorities report that the youth was operating the vehicle while inebriated.
Prosecutors, representing the Pune police, petitioned for an additional 14-day extension of the juvenile’s custody at the observation home, citing concerns for his safety. Initially, he was remanded until June 12.
The police contended that the juvenile’s release could disrupt the ongoing inquiry and related issues, such as the purported tampering with his blood samples post-accident.
The defense countered, advocating for the minor’s immediate release from the observation home. A police official disclosed that the prosecution’s plea emphasized the need for the minor to continue his psychological counseling sessions at the facility.
Furthermore, the prosecution indicated their intention to try the juvenile as an adult, necessitating further remand to finalize pertinent formalities. The JJB has instructed the police to respond to the defense’s request for the juvenile’s custody to be transferred to his relatives, as his parents face separate charges related to the incident.
Defense attorney Prashant Patil opposed the remand extension, asserting the juvenile should be released and placed with his relatives. Patil noted that the JJB’s order acknowledged the juvenile’s ongoing psychological counseling at the observation home, where three sessions have been completed with three remaining. The child is reportedly showing signs of improvement, and his continued stay in the observation home is seen as beneficial for his reintegration into society.
Following deliberations from both parties, the JJB extended the juvenile’s stay at the observation home until June 25.
The boy’s parents are detained in connection with an alleged blood sample swapping incident at Sassoon General Hospital. Additionally, his grandfather, Surendra Agarwal, faces charges for allegedly kidnapping the family driver and coercing him to accept responsibility for the accident.
Other individuals apprehended include two doctors and a hospital employee accused of exchanging the minor’s blood samples with his mother’s. The police have filed three separate cases regarding the incident: one for the accident itself, another against the pub that allegedly served alcohol to the minor, and a third for wrongful confinement and coercion of the family driver to assume blame for the fatal crash.
The boy’s father is also charged for permitting him to drive without a valid license.
