NEW DELHI // A lawyer for an Indian driver who fled Australia after a fatal car accident said yesterday that his client would not get a fair trial if extradited because of hatred towards Indian students.
Anil Mittal, lawyer for Puneet Puneet, told a New Delhi court he opposed his client’s extradition to Melbourne to face trial because of the “hatred towards Indian students in Australia”.
Several attacks on Indian students in Australia in 2011 outraged India and led to accusations of racism against migrants, sparking a diplomatic row between the two countries.
Mr Mittal also accused Australian police of pressuring Mr Puneet into confessing to the crime but did not give details.
“The guilty plea was taken out of him under pressure,” the lawyer told the magistrate’s court. “We are opposing his extradition”.
Mr Puneet, 24, who is being held in Delhi’s Tihar jail, was in court along with members of his family.
Mr Puneet, who only had a provisional driver’s licence at the time of the crash, hit two students aged 19 and 20 as they walked across a road in Melbourne in 2008. One of them died at the scene.
Australian police estimated Mr Puneet was driving at 148 kilometres an hour and also tested positive for alcohol.
Mr Puneet was charged with culpable driving and negligently causing serious injury, then bailed on strict conditions including the surrender of his passport. But he later fled using a fellow Indian’s passport.
After four years on the run from police in India, he was arrested in late November.
Prosecutors said the Indian government had already agreed to extradition and the Australian court fixed January 9 as the date for the next hearing.
Agence France-Presse
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule
1st Test July 26-30 in Galle
2nd Test August 3-7 in Colombo
3rd Test August 12-16 in Pallekele
The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Tips for taking the metro
- set out well ahead of time
- make sure you have at least Dh15 on you Nol card, as there could be big queues for top-up machines
- enter the right cabin. The train may be too busy to move between carriages once you're on
- don't carry too much luggage and tuck it under a seat to make room for fellow passengers