Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Monday blamed the parents of the teenager allegedly involved in the Pune car crash saying they ignored his behaviour which resulted in the death of two young professionals.
Pawar, also the guardian minister of Pune district, was speaking to reporters after attending a meeting of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
"The minor's conduct in the Pune accident is highly irresponsible. It happened because the teenager's parents ignored his behaviour. The son is in an observation home and his father and grandfather have been arrested," he said.
The deputy CM said he has instructed officials to take strict action in the 'Pune, Jalgaon and Nagpur incidents'.
A day before a Porsche allegedly driven by the Pune teenager, son of builder Vishal Agarwal, hit a motorcycle, leaving two techies dead in the city on May 19, one woman and three children were killed in Jalgaon after a car carrying four young men dashed a two-wheeler.
On May 24, an intoxicated person driving a car crashed into pedestrians and two-wheelers in Nagpur, injuring seven persons, including a three-month-old baby.
Anjali Damania, a social activist, had claimed that Ajit Pawar had called the Pune police commissioner after the Porsche accident.
Asked about her claim, Pawar said, "As a people's representative, we receive calls regarding such accidents. I police commissioner and told him that the accused boy was from a wealthy family and there was a chance police might be pressured. I told him not to succumb to any political pressure."
Pawar said CM Eknath Shinde and his peer Devendra Fadnavis have already clarified their positions in this matter.
About the opposition alleging political pressure in the Pune case, Pawar said when someone is in opposition they allege political pressure behind every probe.
He said, "A 'responsible' MLA has accused the Pune police commissioner of accepting bribes from bar operators in the city. He should give proof, if proof is given the state will definitely probe into it."
Asked about his party MLA Sunil Tingare, who had visited Pune's Yerawada police station hours after the accident in the Kalyani Nagar area, Pawar said, "Tingare himself has clarified his stand. He later met me in Pune and presented his version. I have asked top police officials to take strict action against cops or doctors who tried to dilute the probe."
Meanwhile, Deputy CM Fadnavis said in Nagpur that the police won't stop until they get to the bottom of the Pune car crash case.
The police on Monday arrested two doctors and an employee of Sassoon General Hospital over alleged manipulation of blood samples and destruction of evidence in the case. -- PTI
IMAGE: The father of the accused 17-year-old boy involved in the Pune Porsche accident case being brought to the Crime Branch by the Pune Police officials after being arrested in an alleged abduction case, at Yerwada Jail in Pune on Monday. Photograph: ANI Photo