Pune car crash accused given bail after grandfather's assurance to keep him away from bad company

Pune: A 17-year-old boy, who allegedly crashed his high-end car into a motorbike killing two persons in Pune, was granted bail on a surety of Rs 7,500 and an assurance from his grandfather to keep him away from bad company, as per the order.

The Porsche car, allegedly driven by the 17-year-old, who the police claim was drunk at the time, fatally knocked down two motorbike-borne software engineers at Kalyani Nagar in Maharashtra's Pune city in the early hours of Sunday.

The teenager, son of a real estate developer, was subsequently produced before the Juvenile Justice Board which granted him bail hours later.

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, police had said.

"His grandfather has given an assurance that he will keep the Child-in-Conflict with Law (CCL) away from any bad company and he will concentrate on his study or any vocational course which is useful for his career. He is ready to abide by the condition imposed on him. Therefore, it is just and proper to release the CCL on bail," said the order passed by the Juvenile Justice Board on Sunday.

While passing the order, the Board also stated the CCL is released on bail on executing his personal bond and surety bond of Rs 7,500 with conditions that his parents shall take care of him and he will never get involved in offences in future.

It also directed him to visit the Regional Transport Office and study traffic rules, and submit a presentation to the Board within 15 days.

"The CCL will write an essay of 300 words on the topic of road accidents and their solutions," the order read.

The Pune police had approached a sessions court challenging the bail order and seeking permission to allow the boy to be treated as an adult saying the crime committed was 'heinous'.

However, the court asked the police to approach the Juvenile Justice Board with a petition to review the order.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who holds the home portfolio, on Tuesday asserted no police negligence has come to light while handling the car crash case and denied any kind of pressure on cops probing it.