Teenager in Pune Porsche Crash to Be Tried as a Minor, Not Adult
Pune's Juvenile Justice Board has rejected a police plea to try the 17-year-old involved in the fatal Porsche crash as an adult. The May 2024 incident, where the inebriated teen's car killed two IT professionals, sparked nationwide outrage over initial leniency. The board's decision is a major legal development in the high-profile case. The defense argued the crime did not meet the legal definition of "heinous" required for an adult trial under Supreme Court guidelines.
Unpacked:
The Board conducts a preliminary assessment of the juvenile's mental and physical capacity to commit the offence, their ability to understand its consequences, and the circumstances of the incident. Only if the crime is legally classified as "heinous"—punishable by a minimum of seven years imprisonment—can the juvenile be considered for adult trial.
Under Indian law, a "heinous" offence is one with a minimum punishment of seven years or more. If the specific charges in the Porsche crash do not carry this minimum sentence, the case does not qualify as "heinous" and thus does not meet the threshold for trying the juvenile as an adult.
The decision has sparked nationwide outrage, especially due to perceptions of initial leniency toward the accused. Many citizens and advocacy groups argue that the severity of the incident warrants a harsher approach, while others emphasize the importance of legal safeguards for juveniles and adherence to established procedures.
Since the 2015 Juvenile Justice Act, juveniles aged 16-18 can be tried as adults for "heinous" crimes, but such decisions require a rigorous assessment and are relatively rare. The law aims to balance public safety with the rehabilitation needs and developmental stage of minors, leading to ongoing debate over its application.