32-year-old Siddharth Sharma had died on the spot in the accident in Delhi's Civil Lines area which was caught on CCTV. (File Photo)
Highlights
- Juvenile Justice Board said the accused drove 'fast and dangerously'
- Teen driver was fully aware of the consequences, the board added
- His speeding Mercedes hit and killed a man; he turned 18 four days later
The teenage driver who allegedly ran over a 32-year-old man while speeding his father's Mercedes on April 4 in Delhi, may be the first juvenile to be tried as an adult. He was four days short of turning 18.
The Juvenile Justice Board on Saturday said the accused drove 'fast and dangerously', adding that he was fully aware of the consequences. The board has recommended that the teenager be tried as an adult. The case is now referred to the children's court which will be presided over by a sessions judge and take the final decision based on the available evidence.
The victim, Siddharth Sharma, 32, had died on the spot in the accident in Delhi's Civil Lines area which was caught on CCTV.
Speaking to NDTV on the case, child right activist Shireen Miller, said, "Yes he was responsible for rash and negligent driving, but whether he was responsible for culpable homicide needs to be reviewed properly."
But the victim's counsel maintained that the decision was taken after due consideration.
"There was a panel of psychologists on the Juvenile Justice Board who decided he had the mental and physical capability to understand the potential consequences of his action," said Arvind Nayyar.
The police had told the Juvenile Justice board that the teenager was a repeat offender and that he had a history of traffic violations which included over-speeding and he was booked for it on June 17, 2015.
He was also booked for driving in violation of traffic regulations on February 25, 2014 and for not wearing a seat belt on September 19, 2014.
On February 16, 2016, he was involved in a minor traffic accident at Maurice Nagar area in north Delhi, which was settled but he put a forged signature on the settlement papers to avoid detection, the police had said.
The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Act 2015 allows for juveniles 16 years or older to be tried as adults for heinous offences like rape and murder. The Act was amended following public outrage after one of the offenders in the December 16, 2012 gang rape case escaped being tried in the court as he was a few months short of turning 18.