Pune Porsche crash: Shouldn't defame cops, police chief had proactive role in probing case: Fadnavis

Mumbai: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday told the legislative assembly that Pune police chief Amitesh Kumar had a proactive role in the investigation into the Porsche crash and there was nothing to suggest that action should be taken against him.

Fadnavis made the assertions during a debate on the high-profile case raised through a calling attention notice. During the debate, Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar demanded the Pune police commissioner's resignation.

Conceding that there are issues of 'use of money to buy justice', Fadnavis said, "This should not be allowed. We have to see how laws can be strengthened further. The issue is serious but there is no need to defame Pune police. They have taken action in the case. Erring police officials have been punished.”

He said Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar had a proactive role in the probe into the accident and nothing has come up to suggest that he should face action.

Two software professionals lost their lives after their bike was hit by a speeding Porsche in Pune’s Kalyani Nagar area in the early hours of May 19. According to police, a 17-year-old minor was driving the high-end car in a drunken state at the time of the accident.

Two cops attached to the Yerawada police station have been suspended for alleged dereliction of duty in connection with the case.

Police have alleged that the teen’s blood samples were swapped with those of his mother to show that he was not drunk. The minor’s parents and two doctors from state-run Sassoon General Hospital have been arrested over the sample swap.

Fadnavis said the Sassoon doctors changed the blood samples for a bribe of Rs 3 lakh.

“We learn from loopholes in every case. The new criminal laws, which will be in force from July 1, give more importance to legal, forensic and technical evidence,” the deputy CM said.

The juvenile has since been released from an observation home on the directives of Bombay High Court.