A court here is on Thursday expected to hear the case of Puneet Kumar, who has been accused of fleeing to India in 2009 after being involved in a hit and run car mishap that resulted in the death of an Australian student and an injury to another.
Kumar was charged by Victoria Police for causing the death of 19-year-old Dean Hofstee and seriously injuring 20-year-old Clancy Coker in a road accident that happened in 2008. Both victims were students from Queensland.
Police then said alcohol levels in Kumar’s blood showed he was inebriated at the time of the accident.
Last year, in December, Kumar was produced before a court in Rajpura district in northern Punjab state, where he said he wanted the trial to continue in India as his life was under threat in Australia.
After being arrested in India, following a widespread manhunt by the Victorian and Indian federal police, Interpol plans to push for his extradition to Australia in the Delhi court, according to a police statement.
Puneet was arrested on November 29 after a five-year-long manhunt.
Puneet was pursuing a course in hospitality in Australia. He fled the country in 2009 using a friend’s passport after he was found guilty of negligent driving, according to media reports.
