Teen driver’s aunt files plea in HC

MUMBAI, June 14: A paternal aunt of the teenager allegedly involved in the Pune Porsche car crash that killed two IT professionals last month has moved the Bombay High Court claiming the boy was in “illegal” detention and sought his immediate release.The woman, in her habeas corpus (produce the person) plea, has sought immediate release of the 17-year-old boy, who is currently lodged at an observation home in Pune.The petition said no matter from what perception this unfortunate incident is looked at, it was an accident and the person who was said to be driving the vehicle was a minor.
The petition, filed on June 10, came up for hearing before a division bench of Justices Bharati Dangre and Manjusha Deshpande on Friday.
A habeas corpus petition is filed to ensure a person under arrest is brought before a court which determines whether the detention is legal.
Public Prosecutor, representing the Pune police, challenged the maintainability of the petition and argued the boy was in legal custody in the observation home.a Senior advocate representing the petitioner, sought the urgent release of the boy.After the arguments, the bench posted the hearing on the plea for June 20.The boy’s aunt, in the plea, claimed because of public uproar coupled with political agenda, the police deviated from the right course of investigation in the case, thus defeating the entire purpose of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act. (PTI)