Mumbai, June 28, 2024
Deputy Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio, on Friday defended Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar in the Porsche hit-and-run matter, saying there was no need to take any action against the senior official as he has taken a pro-active stand in dealing with the case.
Fadnavis, however, announced in the Assembly that a probe will be conducted into the alleged rate card prevalent in Pune for the functioning of illegal and unauthorised pubs, open-terrace hotels and bars.
Besides, he also ordered an inquiry to check if an alleged nexus between the RTO officers and the family of the 17-year-old minor was involved in any manner in the Porsche car case.
Fadnavis said this while replying to Shiv Sena (UBT) legislator Sunil Prabhu and questions raised by Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar, former home minister Anil Deshmukh, Nana Patole and others
The Deputy CM said that no one will be spared in the Pune Porsche case, saying that the doctors have been arrested for changing the blood sample reports while a few police personnel have been suspended for delay in conducting medical test of the minor after the filing of offence, and also for their failure not to alert the senior officers while registering the offence under section 304 (A) of the Indian Penal Code.
The offence was later registered under Section 304 after the Police Commissioner’s intervention.
Fadnavis further said that action has been taken against 70 pubs from Pune and their licenses have been cancelled.
He told the Assembly that artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled cameras are now being installed in pubs to check the timing of their closure at night and also to see whether they have checked the age of the visiting customers. If they fail to do this, a criminal case will be filed against the pubs.
Fadnavis reiterated that the government has zero tolerance for drug-related cases.(Agency)
