Pune car crash: Cops urge Juvenile Justice Board to allow teen’s questioning

Pune Police have urged the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) to allow them to quiz the minor blamed for a car crash that left two techies dead.

The police plea came amid the arrest of two doctors on charges of manipulating the teenager’s blood samples to show that he was not drunk at the time of the accident.

Police say the 17-year-old was driving a luxury car in an inebriated state when it knocked down a two-wheeler in Kalyani Nagar area on May 19, killing the victims.

“We have written to the JJ Board and sought their permission to allow us to probe the minor,” Additional Commissioner of Police Shailesh Balkawade said.

According to the Juvenile Justice Act, the inquiry of a minor is to be conducted in the presence of parents.

Bail and outrage

The JJB granted bail to the teenager, son of real estate developer Vishal Agarwal, shortly after the May 19 crash and asked him to write a 300-word essay on road safety.

Amid heavy criticism, the police approached the JJB, which modified the order and sent him to an observation home till June 5.

The Maharashtra government has set up a committee to probe the conduct of the JJB members and check if norms were followed in the case.

Prashant Narnavare, commissioner of the Women and Child Department, said the inquiry was related to two persons appointed by the state government.

The minor's father and grandfather have been arrested for allegedly wrongfully confining their family driver, luring him with cash and gifts and later threatening him to take the blame for the crash.