Pune: 17-Year-Old Drives at High Speed With Forged Plate in Kharadi, Father Booked

Kharadi, 30th January 2026: In a case highlighting the dangers of underage and reckless driving, Kharadi Police have taken a 17-and-a-half-year-old boy into custody for allegedly speeding through a busy locality using a car fitted with a fake registration number, putting pedestrians and other motorists at serious risk.

Police said the incident occurred on January 28 around 5.45 pm near the Zensar Ground area, a zone with heavy public movement. The minor was driving a car registered in his father’s name, but investigators later found that the original number plate, MH 12 XH 6106, had been swapped with a fabricated one reading MH 12 XE 6106.

According to officers, the teenager was seen driving at very high speed, taking repeated circular turns and handling the vehicle in a rash and dangerous manner. “His driving caused panic among residents and created a real threat to people in the area,” a police officer said.

Acting on information and their own surveillance, Kharadi Police intercepted the car and detained the boy. The vehicle has since been seized for further examination.

The complaint was filed by Police Constable Akash Anil Bukane (30), following which an offence was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including provisions related to rash driving, endangering life and using forged identification. Sections of the Motor Vehicles Act dealing with driving without a licence and permitting an unauthorised person to drive were also invoked, along with clauses related to the use of a false registration number.

During the probe, police confirmed that the minor does not hold a valid driving licence. Investigators also found that his father had allegedly allowed him to use the car despite knowing he was underage and not legally permitted to drive. “The fake number plate appears to have been used to mislead authorities and avoid identification,” an official said.

The boy has been treated as a child in conflict with the law and produced before the appropriate authority under the Juvenile Justice Act. Police have also initiated legal action against the father for negligence and violations of motor vehicle regulations.

Further investigation is ongoing.