May 23rd 2024.
In Pune, a tragic car accident that resulted in the loss of two lives has taken a new turn. A 17-year-old boy, who was allegedly responsible for the accident, has been transferred to an observation home as per the order of the Juvenile Justice Board. According to an official from the facility, there are currently more than 30 minors staying at the observation home, which is located in the same premises where the hearing for the teenager's case took place on Wednesday.
The accident, which took place in the early hours of Sunday at Kalyani Nagar, involved a Porsche car driven by the teenager. The police claim that the boy was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident, and that he fatally hit two software engineers who were riding a motorbike. The teenager, who is the son of a well-known real estate developer, Vishal Agarwal, was initially granted bail by the JJB. However, the police approached the board again seeking a review of their decision.
Due to public outcry over the quick bail, the JJB remanded the boy to the observation home until June 5. An official from the facility stated that the juvenile was immediately sent to the Nehru Udyog Kendra observation home in Yerawada, where he is staying with other children in conflict with the law. A senior police official also mentioned that during his stay at the observation home, the teenager will undergo psychological assessments.
According to the teenager's lawyer, Prashant Patil, the process of deciding whether a juvenile should be treated as an adult can take up to two months. This involves gathering reports from psychiatrists and counselors, among others, before the JJB makes a decision. Patil also stated that during the remand, the boy will be kept at the rehabilitation home with specific parameters set for this period. The JJB has also given directions for providing mental health support to the boy through a psychologist, psychiatrist, or counselor, in order to help him reintegrate into society.
There has been some confusion over the status of the teenager's bail. While the police claim that it was cancelled by the JJB on Wednesday, his lawyer maintains that it was only modified. As of now, there is no order on the police's application to treat the teenager as an adult accused. According to Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar, the JJB has sent the minor to the observation home until June 5, but they have not yet received an order on their plea to treat him as an adult.
The JJB came under fire for their earlier order, which asked the teenager to write a 300-word essay on road accidents. However, the police have registered an FIR against him under various sections of the IPC and Motor Vehicles Act. In a separate development, the boy's father and two employees of a hotel have been remanded to police custody till May 24. The police have alleged that the boy had consumed alcohol at the hotel before the accident. They have also filed a case against his father and the owners and employees of two bars for serving alcohol to a minor.
As per the FIR, the real estate developer not only allowed his son to drive a car without a license but also let him consume alcohol, knowing the dangers associated with it. Activist Prince Singhal, the founder of Community Against Drunken Driving, has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, urging him to take action against those responsible for the accident. This tragic incident has once again shed light on the need for stricter laws and regulations to prevent underage drinking and driving.
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