Every year, thousands of accident deaths are reported in India, leaving many accused individuals languishing in jail due to prolonged trials. Despite stringent rules, driving by minors continues to be a significant menace.
In India, a minor driving without a license is an offence, and their parents or guardians can face punishment. The Indian Motor Vehicles Act, specifically Section 199(A), states that if a minor is found driving, it is presumed that the parents or guardians were aware, leading to possible imprisonment of up to three years and a fine of up to Rs 25,000. However, if the minor has a learner’s permit and is accompanied by an adult, this punishment does not apply.
Recently in Pune, the son of a prominent realtor, a minor, was seen drinking with his friends at a bar just hours before he crashed his car, killing two people. The 17-year-old involved in this fatal Porsche crash spent Rs 48,000 within 90 minutes at two pubs—Cosie Restaurant and Hotel Blak Club. These establishments should face consequences for breaking the law and serving alcohol to minors. In Maharashtra, the legal drinking age is 25. Additionally, state transport officials are being punished because the Porsche Taycan’s permanent registration has been pending since March due to an unpaid fee of Rs 1,758, which no RTO office addressed.
Public Outrage and the Role of the Juvenile Justice Board
The Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) released the minor within 15 hours on conditions that many found lenient and inappropriate given the gravity of the offence. The minor must work with traffic police for 15 days, write an essay on accidents, undergo treatment for drinking, and attend counselling sessions.
This decision sparked outrage, especially considering the minor’s actions led to the deaths of 24-year-old IT professionals Anish Awadhiya and Ashwini Koshta. Witnesses reported that Ashwini was thrown 20 feet into the air, and Aneesh was flung into a parked car.
In response to public outrage, the excise department initiated a special inspection drive to ensure pubs and licenced restaurants do not serve alcohol to underage patrons and adhere to the 1:30 am closing time.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed shock over the JJB’s lenient stance and called for the teenager to be tried as an adult. The Pune police commissioner has also sought to try the minor as an adult, emphasising the heinous nature of the crime.
Need for Judicial Inquiry and Compensation
The bar owners who allowed underage drinking have been arrested, and calls for a judicial inquiry into the case are growing. As per the Nirbhaya case precedent, individuals over 16 years old should be considered adults in heinous crime cases. The teen received bail within 15 hours, and his father has been arrested under sections of the Juvenile Justice Act for neglect and supplying alcohol to a minor.
Deputy CM Fadnavis has promised strong action, and the public awaits justice for the two IT professionals who lost their lives. The families of the deceased deserve fair compensation and accountability from those responsible.
