Grandfather grilled in Pune teen DUI case

The damaged Porsche car that fatally knocked down two motorbike-borne software engineers. Pic/X

The Pune police on Thursday started questioning the grandfather of the 17-year-old boy, who allegedly crashed his high-end car into a motorbike killing two persons an official said. The police summoned the boy's grandfather in connection with an offence registered against the juvenile's father, the staff members, and the owner of two liquor-serving establishments in the Mundhwa area, a Crime Branch official said.

"The sleuths of the Crime Branch are currently grilling the minor's grandfather at the Pune police commissionerate," he said. A Porsche car, allegedly driven by the 17-year-old, who the police claim was drunk at the time, fatally knocked down two motorbike-borne software engineers at Kalyani Nagar in the city in the early hours of Sunday.

The boy's father, Vishal Agarwal, 50, has already been arrested under the Juvenile Justice Act and remanded in police custody for handing over his car to his underage son, thus exposing him to danger. Apart from the boy's father, the police have arrested two employees and the owner of two liquor-serving establishments -Cosie Restaurant and Hotel Blak Club hotel in Mundhwa. The boy was earlier granted bail on a surety of Rs 7,500 and an assurance from his grandfather to keep him away from bad company.

"His grandfather has given an assurance that he will keep the Child-in-Conflict with Law (CCL) away from any bad company and he will concentrate on his studies or any vocational course which is useful for his career. He is ready to abide by the conditions imposed on him. Therefore, it is just and proper to release the CCL on bail," said the order passed by the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) on Sunday. However, following an outcry over his quick bail, the JJB on Wednesday remanded the boy to the observation home till June 5.