New Delhi: May 19, when a 17-year-old son of a prominent Pune realtor rammed his Porsche into two techies in their 20s - killing them on the spot - was not the first time he was illegally driving a car.
A video has emerged from just a day before the horrific tragedy, showing the teenager emerging from the driver's side of a car while attending a college event. The video shows the boy getting out off the car, accompanied by a male friend who seemed to be in the passenger seat, as three girls appear to wait for them in the foreground.
The girls are joined by three other boys and the teenager and his friend walk up to them and greet them before entering the building.
Police sources have confirmed that the teenager was driving a car on the day of the college event. Just hours later, he went partying - in a Rs 2.5-crore Porsche - with his friends to celebrate his Class 12 results (in Maharashtra Class 11 and 12 students attend what is called a junior college). They went to two pubs and drank illegally, and he racked up a bill of Rs 48,000 at one of them.
The teen then got into the Porsche with two of his friends and crashed into the scooter in Pune's Kalyani Nagar at a speed of at least 150 kmph, killing two 24-year-old IT professionals on the spot. Aneesh Awadhiya, who was riding the bike was sent flying and hit a parked car, while Ashwini Koshta - who was riding pillion - was flung 20 feet into the air.
On Tuesday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said the law is equal for all and no one would be spared.
Answering a question on the alleged preferential treatment given to the 17-year-old son of a prominent Pune builder, Mr Shinde said in Hindi, "I have been in touch with the Pune police commissioner since day one. I have said right from the beginning that, irrespective of how influential the person is, there should be no discrimination. No matter how rich or poor a person is, the law is equal for all and no one will be spared. I have ordered strict action."
"The two people who have died are also someone's children. Strict action will be taken against all guilty people in this case. Their background will also be checked. I have personally told the police commissioner to spare no one, whether it is a doctor or anyone else," the chief minister said.
Mr Shinde was referring to the arrest of Dr Ajay Tawade and Dr Hari Harnor of Sasoon Hospital by the Pune Crime Branch for allegedly replacing the teenager's blood samples with those of a doctor to ensure that no alcohol was detected in them. A peon, Atul Ghatkamble, who acted as the middleman and allegedly collected the ₹ 3 lakh bribe meant for the two doctors from the realtor's family, was also arrested.
The Shiv Sena leader's remarks had come after the Congress's Maharashtra unit President, Nana Patole, had alleged that the son of an MLA was also involved in the accident and the legislator had taken part in the cover-up.
While the Congress leader did not name the legislator, there have been reports of Sunil Tingre - the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) MLA from Vadgaonsheri - having visited the Yerwada police station, where the teenager was taken after the accident, in the early hours of May 19.
The boy will be in a remand home till June 5. His father and grandfather are in police custody.