BREAKING: Bombay High Court Orders Release of Minor in Pune Porsche Crash

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday, June 25, ordered the release of minor accused in the Pune Porsche accident case which claimed the lives of two techies. The accused teen is currently lodged in an observation home. The order was passed in a plea filed by the teen's paternal aunt, who claimed he was illegally detained and sought his immediate release.

A division bench of Justices Bharati Dangre and Manjusha Deshpande quashed the orders issued by the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) remanding the minor to the observation home. "We allow the petition and order his release. The CCL (Child in Conflict with Law) shall be in the care and custody of the petitioner (paternal aunt)," the court said while ordering the release of the accused teen. 

'Remand Order Illegal,' Observers Bombay High Court

While ordering the release of teen, the Bombay High Court bench noted that the JJB's remand orders were illegal and passed without jurisdiction. Despite the seriousness of the crime and nation-wide outrage, the court said that it was bound by law and the Juvenile Justice Act.

The Bombay High Court observed that the accused teen must be treated as any child in conflict with law separately from adult. The court said amid the "immediate reaction to the accident, the kneejerk reaction and the public outcry, the CCL's age was not considered. The CCL is under 18 years old. His age needs to be considered." "CCLs are to be considered differently," the HC added. 

Teen's Aunt Blames Political Agenda For ‘Confinement’ 

The accused teen's aunt in the plea claimed that because of the public uproar coupled with political agenda, the police deviated from the right course of investigation with regard to the minor boy, thus defeating the entire purpose of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act.

Victims' Family Still Await Justice 

Two IT professionals were killed in the early hours of May 19 in Kalyani Nagar in Pune after a Porsche allegedly being driven by the minor, who the police claim was drunk, rammed into their two-wheeler. 

The 17-year-old was granted bail, on the same day of arrest, by the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB), which ordered that he be kept under the care and supervision of his parents and grandfather. He was also asked to write a 300-word essay on road safety.  Later, after much public outrage, his bail was cancelled and and he was sent to an observation home.

The police filed an application before the JJB, seeking amendment of the bail order, following which the board on May 22 ordered the boy to be taken into custody and remanded him to an observation home.