Teen from India accused of causing deaths while driving under influence faces essay-writing penalty.
A 17-year-old boy was accused of speeding in a Porsche in Pune on Sunday and hitting a motorcycle, leading to the death of two people, as per Maharashtra state's Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The boy was arrested and taken to the Juvenile Justice Board, where he was bailed out and given 15 days of community service. He was also asked to write an essay on road safety, said Fadnavis.
This decision led to an uproar, as Fadnavis mentioned that the boy's age was 17 years and 8 months, making him eligible to be tried as an adult for heinous crimes under the 2015 amendments to India's juvenile laws.
Fadnavis expressed surprise over the Juvenile Justice Board's decision. He said the police were looking into the case further and had asked the Juvenile Court to review its bail order.
CNN tried to reach the accused's lawyer, Prashant Patil, for comments.
Fadnavis also announced that the Pune police were investigating the minor for the alleged offence of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Purported CCTV footage from before the accident showed a white Porsche speeding down a main road. Moments after the accident, people are seen rushing to the scene, though it was not included in the shared video.
The boy's father was detained by Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar for permitting him to drive even though he was underage. India's legal driving age is 18.
The police also arrested three individuals who allegedly served liquor to the minor, according to Kumar.
"We have adopted the strictest approach, and we will do whatever we can to ensure justice for the two young lives that were lost and punish the accused," said Kumar.
The incident has received immense attention in India, sparking significant outrage. Many expressed their disapproval on social media due to the lenient punishment.
Suresh Koshta, whose 24-year-old daughter perished in the crash, demanded harsher consequences. "It was wrong (to allow him to drive). One has to know how to drive first," said Koshta while trying to compose himself.
Rahul Gandhi, the Indian National Congress' top leader, criticized the discrepancies in the systems over different types of drivers. "If a 16-17-year-old son of a wealthy household, driving a Porsche under the influence, is caught, he is asked to write an essay. Why are essays assigned to truck or bus drivers?" he asked in a video posted on Twitter.
This isn't the first time a court's judgment has been disputed. In 2015, Salman Khan, a well-known Bollywood celebrity, received a favorable verdict when the Bombay High Court dismissed the charges against him for a fatal hit-and-run case due to insufficient proof.
The hit-and-run accident happened outside a Mumbai bakery in 2002, with prosecutors stating that Khan collided with five sleeping men after losing control of his car. They also claimed he was inebriated when the accident occurred.
Khan denied being the driver.
One man was killed, while the others were injured.
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The world was shocked by the lenient punishment given to the teenager from India, who caused the deaths while driving under influence. The incident involved a 17-year-old boy speeding in Pune, leading to the death of two individuals, and he was only asked to write an essay on road safety by the authorities in India.
Source: edition.cnn.com
