Premier Jacinta Allan makes renewed bid to bring killer driver Puneet Puneet back to Australia

Jacinta Allan says she’ll make a renewed plea to Indian authorities to bring “coward” fugitive driver Puneet Puneet back to Australia during a whirlwind tour of the subcontinent.

Jacinta Allan has slammed “coward” fugitive killer Puneet Puneet after raising his case with Indian authorities as a priority during her visit to India.

The Premier arrived in Delhi on Sunday night for a whirlwind five day visit in which she will meet with senior government and business leaders to promote Victoria and drive trade and investment outcomes.

Ms Allan raised Puneet’s extradition with High Commissioner Philip Green shortly after touching down in India.

“I want to be very, very clear that this individual is clearly a coward,” Ms Allan said.

“There’s a family here who continue to grieve for the loss of their beautiful son in this terrible, terrible accident.

“It’s why I continue to support this individual’s extradition back to Victoria.

“It’s why last night, in my meeting with the High Commissioner, I raised this matter.”

The renewed plea comes just days after devastated dad Peter Hofstee called on the Premier for help.

Puneet has avoided any punishment for speeding at 150km/h down City Road in Southbank and mowing down 19-year-old Queensland nursing student Dean Hofstee in September 2008.

Puneet was later charged by police and pleaded guilty to culpable driving causing death.

But after being granted bail he fled to India on another man’s passport before he could be sentenced.

Ms Allan said there had been strong co-operation between Indian and Australian officials around a potential extradition that was supported by police.

“The High Commissioner has committed that those efforts will be redoubled, because there is a view that this individual, this coward, should be extradited to face justice,” she said.

Ms Allan, who is embarking on her first overseas trip as Premier, said she wanted to strengthen strategic ties with India, highlighting the $3.6 billion trade relationship and the large Indian diaspora in Victoria.

As part of the trip she will release an updated India Strategy to bolster untapped opportunities.

“It is all about focusing on building for Victoria’s future by having these strong strategic relationships here in India,” she said.

A key focus will be reassuring Indian officials that Victoria remains open to international students despite a plan by the Australian government to cap foreign student intake.

India remains Victoria’s largest source for international students, worth almost $15bn, but has not yet returned to pre-Covid levels.

The devastation after the 2008 incident in Southbank. Picture: Jon Hargest

Dean Hofstee, 19, was killed in the Southbank car crash.

“(A) key priority over the course of this week is going to be on sending a very clear message that Victoria remains a welcoming place for international students,” she said.

“We are home to so many Indian students who choose to come and study at one of Victoria’s world class education institutions, and there’s a delegation that I’m leading this week of a range of Victoria’s higher education institutions, where we will be collectively sending a message to the Indian community about how we will continue to welcome international students here in Victoria, that Victoria is a great place to choose to study for the quality of education.

“We’ll also be making it very clear that while the federal government has put caps in place that we don’t support, we continue to support a very strong, welcoming environment for international students.”

On Monday night, Ms Allan will deliver the Australia India Institute’s 2024 Annual Oration.

Australia India Institute chief Lisa Singh said the opportunity for further growth between Victoria and India was immense.

“Being on the ground is what makes the difference and it’s important that government leaders visit India to show that they are taking the relationship seriously.”

“Victoria was the first state to implement an India Strategy, and the Premier is showing leadership by refreshing this strategy as a first priority.”