Pune Porsche crash: Accused minor to remain in observation home till June 25

Assistant Commissioner of Police Sunil Tambe, who is investigating the case, and public prosecutor Monali Kale argued that the psychological counselling of the child in conflict with law (CCL) is currently underway by state appointed experts at the observation home. They argued that the completion of this process was important and for that, the remand should be extended.

They argued that their plea to try the accused as an adult was pending and that they were in the process of preparing the requisite reports and documentation for it. The investigation officer reiterated the earlier argument that three separate offences have been registered in the case, under which the parents of the CCL and grandfather are either in police custody or judicial custody. The officer also told the JJB that if the minor is released, there is a possibility that the probe will be influenced through the relatives.

Defence lawyer Prashant Patil, who opposed the plea of the prosecution, said after the hearing, “The JJB order says that the CCL is undergoing psychological counseling sessions while in the observation home. Some of these sessions have been completed and some more are yet to take place. Since the CCL is showing signs of improvement, remaining in the observation home will help him assimilate into the mainstream.”

Patil had also submitted to the JJB that as part of the process of reform and rehabilitation of the juvenile, he is required to participate in the process of college admissions since he has completed Class 12. Patil said the JJB has directed that the concerned officials responsible for the remand of the minor at the observation home can help him with the process.

Following his detention after the accident on May 19, the minor was produced before the JJB in Pune in the afternoon of the same day. The police had sought his custody in the juvenile observation home and had also appealed that he be tried as an adult.

The JJB, which consisted of just one non-judicial member on Sunday, instead of its full strength of three, had then rejected the applications and had granted bail to the accused on various conditions, including writing an essay, studying traffic safety norms and undergoing de-addiction counselling.

The Pune police challenged the JJB order in the district court which referred the matter back to the JJB to be decided again as per provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act.

On May 22, a three-member JJB sent the minor to the observation home till June 5 with psychological and de-addiction counselling among the terms for rehabilitation and reform.

In the early hours of May 19, the minor was allegedly driving the Porsche at a very high speed  under the influence of alcohol when the car crashed into a bike killing two software engineers.

Officials from Pune City police said during the investigation, they recovered CCTV footage showing the exchange of money between Sassoon staffer Atul Ghatkamble and middleman Aspak Makandar, who have been arrested in the case for swapping of the blood sample.

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Police have arrested the 49-year-old mother and 50-year-old realtor father of the minor for their role in swapping their minor son’s blood sample taken on May 19 after the accident.

Police had earlier arrested Dr Ajay Taware, the then head of the Forensic Medicine Department of the state-run Sassoon Hospital, Dr Shrihari Halnor, who was the Casualty Medical Officer (CMO) at the time, and Atul Ghatkamble a staffer at the morgue, for allegedly changing the minor’s blood sample in lieu of financial favours.

Subsequently, police arrested Ashpak Basha Makandar (36) and Amar Gaikwad (27) who acted as middlemen between the father of the juvenile and the two doctors and a staffer of the Sassoon General hospital.

“We have obtained CCTV footage of money being exchanged between Makandar and Ghatkamble in Yerawada area,” said an officer. In the probe so far, police have recovered Rs 2.5 lakh from Dr Halnor and Rs 50,000 from Ghatkamble.