The Bombay High Court has ordered the release of the juvenile accused in the Pune Porsche crash case. Terming the orders as illegal and without jurisdiction, a division bench of Justice Bharati Dangre and Justice Manjusha Deshpande has directed that the juvenile be placed in custody of his paternal aunt and must continue to undergo counselling sessions with the psychologist.

The order was passed on a petition filed by the minor’s paternal aunt, alleging that the teen had been unlawfully and arbitrarily detained by the Juvenile Justice Board in an observation home. Quashing the remand orders passed by the Juvenile Justice Board, the court today allowed a habeas corpus petition filed by the minor’s paternal aunt.

During today’s hearing, Senior Advocate Aabad Ponda argued that a juvenile, once granted bail, cannot be placed in an observation home. The Chief Public Prosecutor Hiten Venegaonkar representing Pune police, however argued that the minor was sent to an observation home as his parents and grandfather were in police custody. He maintained that the state does not want to cancel the minor’s bail but sending him to the observation home was necessary for his own safety and well-being.

It may be recalled that two people had lost their lives last month, after their motorbike was hit by a Porsche car that was being allegedly driven by the juvenile under the influence of alcohol. The juvenile, son of a prominent builder in Pune, was granted bail hours after the incident but was later remanded to an observation home.