Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday assured tha legislative assembly and opposition leaders that the Pune Police have maintained a proactive role in handling the recent luxury car crash case. Fadnavis also handled the accusation of Pune turning into 'Udta Punjab' comment but stated that it is the IT hub and cultural centre of state.
During a debate, Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar asked for the resignation of Pune police commissioner.
Fadnavis in response to this told the legislative assembly that Pune police chief Amitesh Kumar had an important 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.
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.”
Fadnavis On 'Udta Punjab' Comment
Waddetiwar then made a claim that Pune is becoming like 'Udta Punjab' which is a reference to the rampant use of drugs in the state.
Waddetiwar then continued to ask further questions pertaining to the Pune Porsche crash case, he said, "Pune is a city where students come from across the country, but there is no place here where you don't get drugs. This car, which was without a number plate, was on the roads for six months. How did the police allow it to be on the road for so long? "
"If they are doing something later, or changing blood samples, there must be political reasons for it. ₹ 5 lakh was taken as hafta (extortion money) from rooftop hotels in the city and ₹ 2.5 lakh from smaller outlets. How were 27 pubs running there without permission? What was the Police Commissioner doing? We need a detailed investigation," he added.
Fadnavis then explained the other features of Pune city, as he said, "Pune is the IT hub and the cultural centre of the state. This is why we should not liken it to "Udta Punjab".
"I am not here to give a clean chit to anyone. The police have taken a very proactive approach here. There is no need to investigate them. This is a new habit, someone brings a paper and talks about rate cards. Here, the police have undertaken the investigation and the information provided by Mr Wedditwar will be looked into by us," the Deputy Chief Minister added.
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.
