Investigation into Police Protocols
Assistant Commissioner of Police Ashwini Rakh has been tasked with questioning officers and staff at the Yerwada Police Station, where the complaint was first filed. There are claims that the horrific nature of the incident was underplayed in the initial reports and that there was an unnecessary delay in conducting a medical examination to determine the boy’s blood alcohol level.
Preferential Treatment Claims
Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) chief and former Lok Sabha MP Prakash Ambedkar has alleged that the boy received preferential treatment while in police custody. According to Ambedkar, the boy was given pizzas and burgers while being handled cautiously by the police. Ambedkar raised six questions on social media, challenging the police over the eight-hour delay in administering the blood alcohol test and questioning why the boy was not immediately sent to a remand home.
Controversial Bail and Juvenile Board Decision
The boy was granted bail within 15 hours by the Juvenile Board on conditions considered lenient, including two bonds of ₹7,500 each and writing a 300-word essay on road accidents. This decision sparked outrage, leading to a revision of the order. The boy was subsequently sent to a remand home until June 5.
Currently, the boy faces a drunk driving charge, which carries a maximum punishment of six months in jail and a fine of ₹10,000 for a first-time offense. However, a charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder could be applied if the Juvenile Board decides to try him as an adult.
Political Reactions
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has also criticized the police for allegedly giving preferential treatment to the boy. Gandhi questioned why similar accused, such as auto or cab drivers, do not receive bail as quickly and are not given similar lenient conditions.
“When a teen from a rich family drinks alcohol and kills two people in a Porsche, he is told to pen an ‘essay’. Why are bus, truck, and auto drivers, or cabbies, not asked to write such essays?” Gandhi asked, emphasizing the need for equal justice for both the poor and prosperous.
Arrest and Non-cooperation of the Boy’s Father
The boy’s father, who was arrested the day after the incident, is facing charges of willful neglect under Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act. The Crime Branch has recovered his mobile phone, which he left at home while attempting to evade the police. However, he is reportedly not cooperating with the investigation.
Action Against the Bar
The bar where the boy was served alcohol has been sealed, and its owner and staff are currently in police custody. They are being investigated for serving liquor to an under-aged individual. At the time of the incident, the boy was 17 years and 8 months old, falling short of the legal driving age and the legal drinking age of 25 in Maharashtra.
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