Pune Porsche crash: Probe panel finds procedural lapses, misconduct by JJB members over minor's bail

Pune: A committee formed to probe the conduct of two JJB members in connection with the bail given to the minor accused in the Pune Porsche crash case has found “procedural lapses”, “misconduct” and “non compliance of norms”, a top source from WCD said on Saturday.

On May 19, two IT professionals were killed in Kalyani Nagar here after their motorcycle was hit by a speeding Porsche car allegedly driven by a minor in an inebriated condition.

The case caused a national uproar after the Juvenile Justice Board member L N Danwade gave bail to the accused on very lenient terms, including writing a 300-word essay on road safety.

“The five-member committee submitted its 125-page report on Friday to the Women and Child Development department commissioner. The WCD department, after receipt of the report, has issued show cause notices to two JJB members who were appointed by the department,” a source from WCD told PTI on the condition of anonymity.

“The report has found glaring lapses and mistakes while issuing the bail order by a single member of the JJB on May 19. Though the order granting bail was issued by one member, the other member gave consent the next day instead of reviewing the order. Misconduct and non compliance of norms has also been found on the part of the two members and they have been apprised about it,” he said.

He said that the committee, in its report, found that there was a haste in issuing the order and violation of certain norms.

“The police had mentioned section 304 ( culpable homicide not amounting to murder) but it was overlooked while the order was issued by the board member,” the official said.

As part of its probe, the committee appointed by the WCD department had recorded the statement of the two JJB members, he added.

The JJB comprises two members appointed by the WCD department and one member from the judiciary. The committee’s mandate was to probe the two members appointed by the state government, the official pointed out.

WCD commissioner Dr Prashant Narnavare confirmed that the report had been submitted by the probe committee and said show cause notices had been issued to both JJB members.

The two members have been asked to furnish their replies in the next four to five days, he said.

Incidentally, Pune police commissioner Amitesh Kumar had earlier said section 304 was invoked in the case on the first day itself and was mentioned along with other relevant sections in the remand report placed before the JJB.

Police had also sought that the accused be tried as an adult since he was 17 years and eight months old but the JJB took a different stand and kept its plea (pertaining to the accused) as “seen and filed”.