Pune car crash case: Observation home remand of teen accused extended till June 12

Pune (Maharashtra): The Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) on Wednesday extended till June 12 the observation home remand of the teenager accused in the luxury car crash case in which two young working professionals were killed in Maharashtra's Pune.

Earlier in the day, the Pune Police filed an application before the JJB seeking extension of the teen's remand in the observation home for 14 days on several grounds.

This came after the Pune police filed a review petition challenging the controversial order by JJB where the minor accused had got bail in the

Pune car crash case. He was sent to the 14 days remand which ended on Wednesday.

The Investigating Officer informed the court that if the minor accused comes out of the observation home, it may affect the ongoing investigation in the case.

The prosecution told the court that there were instances of destruction of evidences and conspiracies for which three seprate FIRs were being filled in the case and therefore his remand should be extended.

The prosecution informed that the police is in the process of establishing his adulthood as police wants to try him as adult in the case.

The police also argued that since his parents and grandfather are in the police custody his safety can be endangered. Therefore it is advisable that he remains in the observation home. The police also pointed out that the process of de-addiction is still underway.

The Defence argued that there is no need of further remand as the section under which the juvenile is booked is not that of henious crime.
After hearing both the sides, the JJB extended his remand till June 12.

Earlier last week the Maharashtra state's Woman and Child Development Department established a five-person committee to investigate whether the JJB members, appointed by the state, followed correct legal procedures when granting bail to the teenager involved in the May 19 Pune car accident.

The JJB's initial order received national furore after it instructed the accused teenager to write a 300-word essay on road safety shortly after the incident.

However following severe criicism, the police approached the JJB again which led to another modified order that sent the teenager to observation home until June 5.

Meanwhile, the district court in Pune on Wednesday sent the father and mother of the minor accused to police custody till June 10. Sasson Hospital doctors Dr Srihari Halnor, Dr Ajay Taware and Atul Ghatkamble have also been sent on police custody till June 7.

The Pune Police produced the father and mother of the minor accused, two Sassoon Hospital Doctors Dr Ajay Tawre and Dr Srihari Halnor and one staffer, Atul Ghatkamble before the district court on Wednesday.

All five were arrested in connection with blood sample manipulations of the minor accused in the luxury car crash case.

The minor ploughed his luxury car into the two IT professionals, who were travelling on a bike, killing them on the spot on the night of May 19. Two young IT professionals from Madhya Pradesh, identified as Ashwini Koshta and Aneesh Awadhia, were killed in the accident.