Mercedes hit-and-run case: Delhi Police welcomes Juvenile Justice Board's decision

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New Delhi: Delhi Police on Saturday welcomed the Juvenile Justice Board's order that allowed a teenager, who allegedly ran over a 32-year-old marketing executive while driving his father's Mercedes, to be tried as an adult.

"First ever judgement...In Mercedes Hit and Run case Juvenile offender will now face trial as an adult...A big victory for prosecution! (sic)" DCP (North) Madhur Verma tweeted after the Board passed an order on the application of Delhi Police which had sought transfer of the case to trial court to try as adult the accused who turned major just four days after the April 4 incident.

It is the first of its kind case since the amendment in Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, which allowed the Board to transfer cases of heinous offences by children to Sessions court.

In initial stages, the family of the victim was dissatisfied with the investigation by the police. They had communicated the matter to Delhi Police Commissioner Alok Kumar Verma following which the investigating officer of the case was changed and stricter penal sections were added.

The teenger was initially booked for the charge of rash driving and negligence causing death but later, considering his past record of rash and negligent driving (an act, which in itself in unlawful in case of a minor), police slapped the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

Under the new provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act implemented in January, minors in the 16-18 age group can be tried as adults in cases of heinous crimes.

Last week, Delhi Police had filed the charge sheet in the Mercedes hit-and-run case and moved an application urging the Juvenile Justice Board to treat the 17-year-old accused like an adult under the new provisions of the law.

His father, whose Mercedes he was driving, too was charged with abetting his son's crime and his father's driver who tried to mislead police, was also booked under relevant sections of IPC.