Pune Porsche Case: accused’s Aunt Seeks Release of Juvenile before Bombay High Court

By ~ Liam Vas, Govind Ramnath Kare College Of Law

The aunt of a 17-year-old juvenile accused in the Pune Porsche accident has approached the Bombay High Court, alleging unlawful and arbitrary detention by the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB). Represented by advocate Swapnil Ambure, the plea demands the minor’s immediate release. Justices Bharati Dangre and Manjusha Deshpande, while granting time to amend the petition, denied immediate relief and scheduled the hearing for June 20.

The juvenile, son of a prominent Pune builder, allegedly hit a motorcycle with his Porsche while driving intoxicated in Kalyani Nagar, resulting in two fatalities. The vehicle reportedly dragged one of the victims before coming to a stop after hitting another two-wheeler and a car. He was initially granted bail on May 19 but was later remanded to an observation home by the Juvenile Justice Board. The petition claims that this move was influenced by public sentiment and media portrayal.

Chief Public Prosecutor Hiten Venegaonkar opposed the petition, asserting that the juvenile’s detention was legally ordered. Senior advocate Abad Ponda, representing the petitioner, sought immediate release of the juvenile and requested time to amend the petition to include the Juvenile Justice Board’s order extending the minor’s detention. The court granted this request but withheld immediate relief until a full hearing.

The petition contends that the Juvenile Justice Act’s provisions should protect the minor to prevent him from becoming a hardened criminal. It argues that the Juvenile Justice Board should not have moved the minor from his grandfather’s custody to the observation home without reviewing the earlier order. Additionally, it claims the judge may have been swayed by public sentiment against the juvenile and his family, thus risking the bypassing of due legal processes.