Pune Porsche Case: Accused’s Grandfather Linked to Underworld
It has come to light that Surendra Agarwal, the grandfather of the minor accused who killed two engineers by driving a Porsche under the influence of alcohol in Pune, has connections with the underworld. It is reported that in 2021, Surendra sought help from Chhota Rajan to resolve a property dispute with his brother R.K. Agarwal. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has stated that this matter will also be investigated.
Father Faces More Charges than the Minor Accused
On the other hand, the police have placed more charges on the minor accused’s father, Vishal Agarwal. According to the FIR, real estate developer Vishal knew that his son was a minor. Despite this, he not only gave his son a Porsche worth 2.50 crore rupees without a license plate but also provided his credit card for an alcohol party at a pub.
Using this card, the accused paid a bill of 48,000 rupees within 90 minutes. The car’s driver refused to hand over the car to the accused, but he did so on Vishal’s instructions. On the night of May 18, after an alcohol party at a pub, the accused hit a young man and woman on a bike with the car. Both died in the accident.
Police Seeking Answers to These 4 Questions from the Father
- How was pocket money given to the child?
- How was a vehicle without registration driven on the road?
- Why did Vishal Agarwal flee after the case was registered?
- A feature phone was found with Vishal. Where is the smartphone?
Juvenile Board Sends Accused to Juvenile Detention Center Until June 5
The day after the incident, the Juvenile Justice Board granted bail to the minor accused with a bond of 7500 rupees and a punishment to write a 300-word essay on road safety. This decision faced nationwide opposition. When people in Pune went on strike, the Maharashtra government asked the board to reconsider its decision.
On Wednesday, May 22, the board called the accused for further questioning. Here, the police stated that the crime was committed brutally. The accused is 17 years and 8 months old, drives an expensive car, drinks alcohol, and behaves like an adult. Therefore, these factors should be considered. Subsequently, the board revoked the bail decision and sent the accused to juvenile detention until June 5.
Five People, Including the Accused’s Father, Arrested So Far
Pune police arrested the accused’s father, builder Vishal Agarwal, on Tuesday, May 21. He was presented in court on Wednesday, May 22. The court sent him to police custody until May 24. While taking him from the court, some people threw ink on the police van and chanted slogans.
So far, the police have arrested five people, including the accused’s father Vishal Agarwal. The other four arrested include Naman Prahlad Bhutada, son of the owner of Cozy Restaurant in Pune, its manager Sachin Katkar, Black Club Hotel manager Sandeep Sangle, and their staff Jayesh Bonkar. They are accused of serving alcohol to the minor accused.
Prahlad Bhutada, Sachin Katkar, and Sandeep Sangle were presented in court on May 21. All three were sent to police custody until May 24. Cozy Restaurant and Black Club Hotel have been sealed.
To Mislead the Police, the Accused’s Father Changed Several Cars
After hearing the news of his son’s accident, builder Vishal Agarwal devised a plan to escape from the police. To mislead the police, he left his house in his own car and instructed his driver to take it to Mumbai. He also told another driver to take his second car to Goa.
While on the way to Mumbai, Vishal got out of the car midway. After that, he used a friend’s car to travel to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad). According to the police, Vishal Agarwal used multiple cars solely to mislead them. He also started using new SIM cards so that his number could not be traced.
When the police received information that he was in his friend’s car, they began tracking the vehicle via GPS. Pune Crime Branch identified Vishal Agarwal using CCTV footage. Finally, on the night of May 21, the police raided a lodge in Sambhajinagar and arrested Vishal along with two other people.
A Car Worth 2.44 Crores, Registration Not Completed Due to 1758 Rupees
According to RTO officer Sanjeev Bhor, the accused’s father bought an electric luxury sports sedan Porsche car from a dealer in Bangalore for 2.44 crores in March. The dealer handed over the car to Vishal after temporary registration, which is valid from March 18, 2024, to September 17, 2024.
The car owner came to Pune’s RTO office for registration on April 18, 2024. The inspection and all procedures were completed on the same day, but the registration number was not issued due to the non-payment of 1758 rupees.
Sanjeev Bhor stated that according to the Act, if a minor is involved in an accident, they cannot obtain a driving license until the age of 25. The flying squad has been instructed to immediately seize vehicles without numbers in the city.
Both Deceased Were Residents of Madhya Pradesh
Witnesses stated that due to the collision with the car, the girl on the bike was thrown several feet into the air and landed on the ground, while the boy collided with another car parked nearby. In this accident, engineer Anish Avadiya and Ashwini Koshta, residents of Madhya Pradesh, lost their lives. Both were returning from a party.
