The grandfather of the 17-year-old boy who allegedly killed two IT professionals with his luxury Porsche in Pune was arrested for “wrongful confinement” of their family driver, an official told PTI on Saturday. The teenager’s father is also implicated in the Pune Porsche accident case. On Friday, Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar revealed that attempts were made to prove the minor was not driving the high-end car. Based on a complaint by the family driver, Yerawada Police registered charges against the teen’s grandfather and father under IPC sections 365 (kidnapping with intent to secretly and wrongfully confine a person) and 368 (wrongfully concealing or keeping a person in confinement).
“After the accident, the teen’s grandfather and father allegedly took the driver’s phone and confined him in their house on their bungalow premises from May 19 to May 20. The driver was freed by his wife,” a crime branch official told PTI.
A Porsche, allegedly driven by the teenager who police claim was intoxicated, killed two motorbike-borne software engineers in the Kalyani Nagar area of Pune early Sunday morning.
On Friday, a local court in Pune remanded the six accused, including the teenager’s father, in judicial custody. The teenager remains in an observation home until June 5.
Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar stated that efforts were made to show that the Porsche involved in the fatal accident was not driven by the 17-year-old. The family driver even attempted to take the blame. Two police officials were suspended for lapses in the investigation.
Late Friday evening, the probe was transferred from Yerawada police station to the crime branch.
The parents of the two IT professionals who died in the May 19 accident, hailing from Madhya Pradesh, demanded that the Supreme Court oversee the investigation and hold the trial in their state.
“There is enough evidence showing the teenager was driving,” Kumar told reporters. “We have CCTV footage of him drinking at a pub. He was fully aware that his conduct could lead to an accident involving IPC section 304, which deals with culpable homicide not amounting to murder.”
Regarding reports of the juvenile being served pizza after the incident, Kumar said, “A pizza party didn’t happen at the police station, but we have initiated an internal investigation into what did occur.”
Kumar added, “Our investigation clearly shows the juvenile was driving the car, and we have collected all necessary evidence. The security register shows he left the house with the car.”
The police said the family driver was in the car during the accident and initially claimed he was driving. Kumar explained, “Why and under whose pressure he said that will be disclosed at an appropriate time.”
The commissioner noted that while the juvenile’s blood samples were collected at 11 am, several hours after the accident, “blood reports are not the pillar of our case.” Another sample for DNA testing was taken in the evening.
Initially, the FIR included section 304A (death by negligence) but was later revised to section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) due to the severity of the crime. Complaints arose that some eyewitnesses were pressured.
The minor was initially granted bail by the Juvenile Justice Board after being asked to write a 300-word essay. Following public outcry and a police review plea, the board remanded the teen to the observation home until June 5.
The police arrested the teen for “exposing a child to danger” and the owners and employees of two bars where the teen consumed alcohol for “serving liquor to an underage person.”
On Friday, the prosecution sought to extend police custody for the six accused, but the sessions court remanded them in judicial custody until June 7. They are expected to file bail pleas next week.
The parents of the victims, Anish Awadhiya and Ashwini Koshta, both 24-year-old IT professionals, vowed to fight for justice. Ashwini’s father, Suresh Kumar Koshta, urged the Supreme Court to monitor the investigation and trial, insisting it should be held in Madhya Pradesh. “I will fight for justice till my last breath,” said Anish’s father, Om Prakash Awadhiya.