Pune Porsche Accident: Parents of Juvenile Driver in Custody Until June 5

In the ongoing investigation of the Porsche accident case in Pune, the parents of the minor accused have been granted police custody until June 5. The couple was produced before the Pune District and Sessions Court earlier in the day. The mother was arrested on Saturday, and the father taken into custody from Yerada Central Jail.

The police confirmed that the minor's blood samples were replaced with his mother’s. They questioned the minor for about an hour at an observation home, with his mother present. Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar stated that the juvenile's blood samples were swapped with those of his mother.

Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Shailesh Balkawade mentioned that the minor's inquiry would continue in the presence of his mother. The Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) had already allowed the police to question the teenager under the Juvenile Justice Act, which requires the presence of a parent during the inquiry.

Kidnapping and Manipulation Allegations

The minor's father, Vishal Agarwal, a realtor, and his grandfather, Surendra Agarwal, were arrested for allegedly kidnapping the family's driver and pressuring him to take the blame. The court remanded both in judicial custody for 14 days after their police custody ended.

Police also arrested Dr. Ajay Taware, former head of the forensic medicine department at Sassoon General Hospital, medical officer Dr. Shrihari Halnor, and employee Atul Ghatkamble. They allegedly manipulated the minor's blood samples to show he was not drunk at the time of the accident.

About a dozen calls were exchanged between Vishal Agarwal and Dr. Taware while samples were being collected for alcohol testing. It was revealed that Dr. Halnor and Ghatkamble received Rs 3 lakh from Dr. Taware to change the samples.

The police sought Vishal Agarwal's custody regarding the alleged sample switch. The JJB initially granted bail to the minor after the May 19 crash, asking him to write a 300-word essay on road safety. Amid public outcry, the JJB modified the order, sending him to the observation home until June 5.

The Maharashtra government set up a committee to investigate the state-appointed JJB members and check if norms were followed in the case. The committee, led by a deputy commissioner, will submit its report next week, according to Prashant Narnavare, Commissioner of the Women and Child Department.