A youth, accused of killing a man after ramming his speeding car on a footpath in Australia in 2008, was on Friday remanded in judicial custody till December 18 by a city court. Twenty four-year-old Puneet, who was arrested in Punjab on November 29, this year, after a court here issued an arrest warrant against him in pursuance to an extradition request received from Australian authorities, was produced before Metropolitan Magistrate Sheetal Chaudhary. The Magistrate remanded Puneet in judicial custody till December 18, when the matter relating to the extradition request would also be taken up by the court.
Puneet has also filed a plea before the court contending that his trial be conducted in India on account of having threat to his life in Australia fearing racial discrimination by the Australians towards the Indian citizens.
“Further, this court is very well aware of the fact that in the year 2008 and 2009, so many Indian citizens especially students of younger age have been murdered and seriously injuries in Australia only on account of racism behaviour of Australians towards the Indian citizens,” he alleged. He also claimed that an award of one lakh Australian dollars has been announced there only for providing information about him.
According to the red corner notice issued against Puneet, he was driving a sedan in Southbank in Australia on October 1, 2008 at a speed of 148 km per hour and struck a concrete pillar. Two pedestrians, who were walking on the footpath, received grevious injuries in the accident, it said. Out of the two, one succumbed to the injuries, it said, adding that Puneet has been charged on account of culpable driving causing death and negligently causing serious injury. The red corner notice said Puneet had left Australia on June 12, 2009 by using an Indian passport of one of his friends.
The Australian government had sent a request for extradition of Puneet from India through its October 15, 2013 letter. In his plea, Puneet also said that as per the terms of Extradition Treaty between the Governments of India and Australia, trial of an accused can also be conducted within the territory of India and extradition request can be refused if the person can be tried in the requested State (India). Referring to the Australian law, Puneet said punishment for the offences, for which he has been charged there, is “highly excessive” as it may go up to 40 years of imprisonment.