Pune: In a significant development in the Pune Porsche accident case, the Bombay High Court has granted bail to the juvenile involved, ordering his release from the juvenile detention center where he has been held for the past few days. This decision has come as a major setback for Pune police, who are now facing criticism for alleged lapses in their investigation.
Ravindra Dhangekar, MLA for Kasba constituency, has strongly criticized the investigating officers, alongside Sushma Andhare from the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction), who has also voiced her displeasure with the police handling of the case.
The incident occurred in the early hours of May 19 in Kalyani Nagar, Pune, when the juvenile, under the influence of alcohol, rammed his Porsche into two motorcyclists who were software engineers, resulting in their deaths.
Nearly a month after the accident, a bench comprising Justices Bharati Dangre and Manjusha Deshpande provided relief to the juvenile, stating that although the accident was tragic, it was not appropriate to keep him in a juvenile detention center.
The court ordered his release to the custody of his maternal aunt, as both his parents and grandfather are currently in jail. This case continues to be closely watched, with significant public and political pressure on authorities to ensure justice for the victims.
Initially, the minor, son of real estate developer Vishal Agarwal, was granted bail by the Juvenile Justice Board on the condition that he writes a 300-word essay.
This decision sparked public outrage, prompting the police to request a review. Subsequently, the board sent the juvenile to the observation home, which led his aunt to appeal to the Bombay High Court.
In a parallel development, the families of the accident victims met with Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday. They visited him at his official residence in Mumbai, where the Chief Minister assured them of justice. According to sources, Chief Minister Shinde had also discussed the case with the Pune Police Commissioner over the phone.