The permanent registration of the luxury Porsche Taycan car involved in the fatal accident that killed two IT professionals in Maharashtra’s Pune had been pending since March due to the owner’s non-payment of the ₹1,758 fee, to top officials of the state transport department told news agency PTI.

The electric luxury sports sedan Porsche Taycan, which is reportedly priced at ₹161 crore ex-showroom and could go up to ₹244 crore, was allegedly driven by a prominent builder’s 17-year-old son, who police claimed was drunk at the time of the accident in Kalyani Nagar early Sunday morning. Maharashtra transport commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar told PTI that a dealer in Bengaluru imported the Porsche car in March, which was subsequently sent to Maharashtra with a temporary registration.

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“When it was produced at the Pune Regional Transport Office (RTO), it was found that a certain registration fee was not paid and the owner was asked to pay the amount for the completion of the procedure. However, the vehicle was not brought to the RTO to complete the registration process after that,” PTI quoted Vivek Bhimanwar as saying.

Officials said road tax is exempt for electric vehicles registered in Maharashtra. Consequently, the registration fee for the Porsche Taycan amounted to only ₹1,758, which included ₹1,500 for hypothecation fees, ₹200 for smart card RC fees, and ₹58 for postal charges. Interestingly, Porsche India’s website lists the ex-showroom prices of various models starting at ₹96 lakh and exceeding ₹1.86 crore, though the specific price of the Taycan model is not provided.

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Officials noted that the vehicle had a temporary registration certificate issued by Karnataka, valid from March to September 2024. The Porsche dealer in Bengaluru, who had completed the temporary registration, was not at fault; it was the owner’s responsibility to obtain permanent registration from the RTO, the officials said. Vehicles with temporary registration can only be driven to and from the RTO during this period.

Vivek Bhimanwar said that the 17-year-old boy allegedly driving the car will be barred from obtaining a driving license until he turns 25.

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Pune car accident: Teen driver’s father

On Tuesday, police arrested the father of the 17-year-old driver and four restaurant executives for serving liquor to the minor. The car, driven by the teenager, fatally struck two motorbike-borne IT engineers in Kalyani Nagar. Despite the severity of the accident, the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) granted the accused bail just hours after the crash, causing nationwide outrage.

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who oversees the home portfolio, expressed shock and dismay over the JJB’s “lenient view” of the fatal accident and advocated for trying the teenager as an adult.

The FIR lodged in connection with the incident states that the father, knowing his son did not have a valid driving license, gave him the car, thereby endangering his life.

Who were Pune car accident victims?

The deceased were identified as Anish Awadhiya and Ashwini Koshta, both 24-year-old IT professionals hailing from Madhya Pradesh and working in Pune. Meanwhile, a Pune court on Tuesday remanded three accused – an owner and two managers of different restaurants – where the boy consumed liquor along with his friends before getting behind the wheel of the car – to police custody till May 24 in the case.

Restaurants sealed

The Maharashtra excise department, on Pune district collector orders, has sealed the two establishments.

Amid the slew of developments, Devendra Fadnavis made a surprise visit to the Pune police commissionerate to take a review of the case, and later addressed the media. “I took a review of the case. I also discussed with officials what steps can be taken to prevent such incidents,” he said. Fadnavis said after the crash, the police immediately invoked IPC section 304 along with relevant provisions and, in its remand plea before the JJB, mentioned that since the teenager was 17 years and eight months old, he should be treated as an adult.

(With inputs from PTI)