Pune Porsche Accident: Yerwada Police Wanted To Do Blood Test Of Eyewitnesses Instead Of Minor Driver – Relatives Of Deceased

Yerwada, 20th May 2024: The stark disparity in the treatment of a 17-year-old boy involved in a fatal accident and the families of the deceased have raised serious concerns about fairness and justice in the handling of the case. While the accused was reportedly treated to VIP privileges, the kin of the deceased struggled to receive basic police assistance.

The incident, which occurred in the early hours of Sunday, resulted in the deaths of two 24-year-old IT engineers, Ashwini Koshta and Aneesh Awadhiya, both from Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. Despite being rushed to Sahyadri Hospital in Shastrinagar, Yerwada, the victims were declared dead on arrival.

Onlookers who witnessed the accident took the boy from the driver’s seat and thrashed him. He was taken to the Yerwada police station, where it was later revealed that he was a minor.

Paras Soni, Awadhiya’s cousin and a software engineer from Keshavnagar, recounted, “I received a call in the early hours and rushed to the police station, only to find that the arrested youth was receiving VIP treatment. He was being served pizza and allowed to sleep. A local MLA was involved in his case.”

Soni added, “When we requested the police to file a case and conduct a medical examination of the suspect, they became unnecessarily angry and threatened us with cases. Moreover, when our friends came forward as eyewitnesses, the police threatened to detain them and subject them to alcohol tests.”

Soni claimed that the police appeared influenced by the boy’s affluent background. “This was also clear from the car involved in the incident. Fortunately, he was caught by the public. Eyewitnesses confirmed his identity. However, the police, along with the local MLA, were trying to cover up the case by booking someone else as the driver. We threatened to alert the media and our contacts. Since the boy had been beaten, we could easily recognize him. We also have video evidence of the incident.”

The situation was made more challenging by the victims’ families’ limited knowledge of the local language. Meanwhile, the suspect ate and slept comfortably in the police station. “As a last resort, we reached out to the media for help. Finally, around 11 a.m., the police took the boy for a medical examination. Meanwhile, we ran from pillar to post trying to locate the bodies and manage an ambulance while comforting grieving family members,” Soni said.

Since the 17-year-old suspect is a minor, he falls under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015. Accordingly, he is considered a child in conflict with the law and should be treated with child-friendly approaches. Soon after the boy was apprehended and detained at Yerwada police station, two Mercedes cars arrived, carrying his family members who were allowed inside. Meanwhile, the family and friends of the deceased were left waiting outside for their turn to give their statements. The suspect was brought out of the police station around 3 pm. He was supposed to be taken to the Juvenile Justice Board on a scooter. However, the police arranged a private Ertiga car for him. Two other Mercedes cars, carrying three lawyers, including a female lawyer, followed him.

Local MLA Sunil Tingare claimed, “The child’s father has been in a business relationship with me and resides in my constituency. The family sought my assistance. I went to the police station to help them, but did not interfere in the case.”

This incident highlights the glaring inconsistencies in the handling of cases involving influential individuals, raising questions about the impartiality and integrity of the justice system.