Fugitive Puneet continues extradition fight

Hit-run driver Puneet Puneet has continued his bid to stop extradition to Melbourne, as lawyers hit back at his desperate bids to delay the case on increasingly bizarre ‘false’ grounds.

Puneet Puneet arriving at court in 2015.

Hit-run accused Puneet’s extradition arguments have begun in New Delhi’s Patiala House court, three weeks after a hospital in Delhi cleared him for trial.

Puneet Puneet was a 19-year-old learner driver when he killed Dean Hofstee in 2008, but skipped bail and fled to India on a forged passport. He was later arrested in 2013 on his wedding day.

Since then he has been fighting his extradition to Australia.

Puneet Puneet being admitted to hospital earlier in 2018. Picture: Tawqeer Hussain

Puneet Puneet, right, in October. Picture: Tawqeer Hussain

Union of India lawyers representing Australia in the case told court that all the legal requirements for returning Puneet to Australia had been fulfilled.

In the absence of Puneet’s defence lawyers, Judge Ms Gurmohina Kaur asked Union of India lawyers to go ahead with the arguments and submit the details of the case.

Mr Vali, while summarising the events of 2008, told court that Puneet was driving at a ‘furious speed’, resulting into the death of Dean Hofstee and injuries to Clancy Coker.

“Puneet was driving at a speed of 150kmh and hit the two persons,” he added.

Union of India lawyers also raised questions about the delay in the case and told court that on one or other behest, Puneet’s has been delaying the case.

“From some disease to the mental health issue, Puneet has been delaying the case on various ‘false’ grounds,” he added.

The case was listed for further hearing on January 16, when Puneet’s counsel will present his side of case.