Porsche crash: Panel probing two JJB members over minor's bail finds procedural lapses, misconduct
Pune, Jun 15: A committee formed to probe the conduct of two JJB members in connection with the bail given to the minor accused in the Pune Porsche crash case has found "procedural lapses", "misconduct" and "non compliance of norms", a top source from WCD said on Saturday.
On May 19, two IT professionals were killed in Kalyani Nagar here after their motorcycle was hit by a speeding Porsche car allegedly driven by a minor in an inebriated condition.
The case caused a national uproar after the Juvenile Justice Board member L N Danwade gave bail to the accused on very lenient terms, including writing a 300-word essay on road safety.
"The five-member committee submitted its 125-page report on Friday to the Women and Child Development department commissioner. The WCD department, after receipt of the report, has issued show cause notices to two JJB members who were appointed by the department," a source from WCD told PTI on the condition of anonymity.
"The report has found glaring lapses and mistakes while issuing the bail order by a single member of the JJB on May 19. Though the order granting bail was issued by one member, the other member gave consent the next day instead of reviewing the order. Misconduct and non compliance of norms has also been found on the part of the two members and they have been apprised about it," he said.
He said that the committee, in its report, found that there was a haste in issuing the order and violation of certain norms.
"The police had mentioned section 304 ( culpable homicide not amounting to murder) but it was overlooked while the order was issued by the board member," the official said.
As part of its probe, the committee appointed by the WCD department had recorded the statement of the two JJB members, he added.
The JJB comprises two members appointed by the WCD department and one member from the judiciary. The committee's mandate was to probe the two members appointed by the state government, the official pointed out.
WCD commissioner Dr Prashant Narnavare confirmed that the report had been submitted by the probe committee and said show cause notices had been issued to both JJB members.
The two members have been asked to furnish their replies in the next four to five days, he said.
Incidentally, Pune police commissioner Amitesh Kumar had earlier said section 304 was invoked in the case on the first day itself and was mentioned along with other relevant sections in the remand report placed before the JJB.
Police had also sought that the accused be tried as an adult since he was 17 years and eight months old but the JJB took a different stand and kept its plea (pertaining to the accused) as "seen and filed".
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
