Pune car crash | Teen knew act could cause deaths, police building a watertight case: Top cop

Police have said that the teenager who rammed his car into a bike, leading to the instantaneous death of two people, knew that the act could cause death and a watertight case against him will be built against him on that basis.

Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar told NDTV that the police are not applying for a case of 304(a) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) that applies to drunken driving and rash and negligent act, but for Section 304, to prove that the teen, the son of a builder, had the knowledge that his act of speeding his father’s Porsche on a narrow street in an inebriated condition could cause death.

The 17-year-old, who the police claim was drunk at the time, had fatally knocked down two motorbike-borne software engineers in Kalyani Nagar in Pune city in the early hours of Sunday (May 19). He was returning after celebrating his class 12 results by drinking at two Pune pubs. The two deceased were identified as techies – Aneesh Awadhiya, 24, and Ashwini Koshta, 25.

Kumar said the other two occupants of the Porsche, who are friends of the accused, are being treated as witness to the incident and police are trying to prove a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

Car’s permanent registration fee was pending

Meanwhile, the permanent registration number of the Porsche had been pending since March as the owner has not been able to pay the ₹1,758 fee, state transport department officials told PTI.

According to Maharashtra Transport Commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar, a dealer in Bengaluru imported the car in March and sent it to Maharashtra with a temporary registration number.

"When it was produced at the Pune Regional Transport Office (RTO), it was found that a certain registration fee was not paid and the owner was asked to pay the amount for the completion of the procedure. However, the vehicle was not brought to the RTO to complete the registration process after that," Bhimanwar told PTI.

Officials said while the temporary registration of the vehicle was valid from March to September 2024, it was the owner’s responsibility to get the permanent registration from the RTO. They said vehicles with temporary registration and only be drive to and from the RTO during the period.

Bhimanwar also said that the teen will not be given a licence until he turns 25.

Excise department seals restaurants

The Maharashtra excise department on Tuesday sealed the two restaurants, where the 17-year-old boy was allegedly served liquor, on orders of the Pune district collectorate, said the local administration.

On the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday, the accused juvenile along with his friends went to the two establishments between 9.30 pm and 1 am and allegedly consumed liquor, according to police.

The two outlets, Cosie restaurant and Hotel Blak Club, were sealed following orders of the district collectorate.

While Cosie is located in Koregaon Park, an area adjacent to Kalyani Nagar, the Blak Club is in Mundhwa.

"The Cosie restaurant and Blak Club in Marriot Suite have been sealed with immediate effect by the state excise department following orders from district collector Suhas Diwase," said a statement from the district administration.

A special inspection drive has been started by the excise department to ensure pubs and license holding restaurants do not serve liquor to underage patrons and operate beyond the 1.30 am deadline, said the statement.

If any violations are found, cases would be registered against such establishments and their licences s will be cancelled," it warned.

(With inputs from agencies)