Punneet Puneet extradition status

[ColinOldnCranky]

Refer to locked thread at http://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/viewt ... t&start=50


For those following this case the status is that Puneet Puneet has had his last appeal for bail dimsissed
yesterday by the Delhi High Court.

To anyone commenting to NOT get into statements on racial or other stereotypes. This case is about the actions of an individual (and family) only. I have seen nothing to indicate anything but proper judicial process in India, a lack of political interference and a lack of media-frenzied support for Puneets plight.

Some media still make confusing descriptions such as "accused". The process is way past "accused" as Oz courts had already accepted his plea of guilty before he jumped bail. Assuming that he is extradited (it looks good) then, as I understand it, all that needs to be done is sentencing. (However I imagine that he will also face new charges sometime arising out of jumping baila nd using a false passport etc.)

The next milestone is 22May when the court hands down it's decision on whether to extradite Puneet Puneet. However sometimes these dates get shuffled a little here and there.

[Xplora]

I wonder if they have the same attitude there as people felt about the various drug trafficking convictions in Indonesia of recent years - don't deliberately break reasonable laws in unfriendly countries if you don't want to suffer the consequences? There weren't a lot of tears for Shapelle in my neck of the woods.

A lot more bike riders in India too.

[yugyug]

I wonder if they have the same attitude there as people felt about the various drug trafficking convictions in Indonesia of recent years - don't deliberately break reasonable laws in unfriendly countries if you don't want to suffer the consequences? There weren't a lot of tears for Shapelle in my neck of the woods.

A lot more bike riders in India too.

I think its different because despite the different cultural values between Indonesia or India and Australia, morality of the crimes can be argued to be (reasonably) objectively different. Running people down with a car is more serious than drug smuggling, dealing or use I would argue because any deaths resulting from the latter require some degree of personal responsibility or complicity from the victim. Such conceptions of morality ca n transcend cultural relativism in my opinion.

Christopher Hitchens: "It’s quite a task to combat the absolutists and the relativists at the same time: to maintain that there is no totalitarian solution while also insisting that, yes, we on our side also have unalterable convictions and are willing to fight for them."

[antigee]

nearly 200,000 road deaths in India/year - now it is a country with awful lot of people (1.2bn) but the figure is fairly startling - India isn't ranked as one of the most corrupt countries in the world, but that is only because some countries are way off the scale.
Like many countries it has a wealthy and connected elite class.

[stereotype] Some people in some cultures believe they are above the law. In some countries their money and connected status enables them to ignore laws, their actions may have dire consequences for others but they would never expect be penalised. [/stereotype]

Hope that meets the posting criteria

[trailgumby]

[stereotype] Some people in some cultures believe they are above the law. In some countries their money and connected status enables them to ignore laws, their actions may have dire consequences for others but they would never expect be penalised. [/stereotype]

Hope that meets the posting criteria

I think ICAC is looking quite good at the moment to fix that.

[ColinOldnCranky]

[stereotype] Some people in some cultures believe they are above the law. In some countries their money and connected status enables them to ignore laws, their actions may have dire consequences for others but they would never expect be penalised. [/stereotype]

Hope that meets the posting criteria

If Puneet's family thought that at the time that their boy absconded, the Indian government never gave them much cause to retain that belief. He had to remain below the radar and out of sight for many years. Once tipped off the authorities staked out the place with an abundance of resources and played the waiting game.

It seems that they took their international obligations and an extradition treaty with Australia seriously.

[ColinOldnCranky]

It does give back some faith in the system when it shows perserverence. Doing a runner in this case looks like having done no good for the driver. He has not been sentenced and I can't imagine a judge will be swayed by statemetns of remorse and taking responsibility.

A timeline was clipped from http://petedoweroadsafetyadvocate.blogs ... chive.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

THE LONG ROAD TO JUSTICE:

October 1, 2008: Learner driver Puneet Puneet, 19, hits two Gold Coast university students with his V8 Holden Commodore as they leave the Mantra Hotel on City Rd, Southbank at about 12.50am. Nursing student Dean Hofstee, 19, takes the brunt of the impact and dies at the scene. His close friend Clancy Coker, 20, is seriously injured. Puneet is charged with culpable driving and released on bail. A preliminary investigation suggests Puneet was travelling at more than 150km/h in a 60km/h zone and had a blood-alcohol reading of 0.165.
October 2, 2008: Puneet tells the Herald Sun he drank four whisky and cola drinks at a party in Nunawading before the crash. He blames the crash on sore eyes and a cat that he says darted across the road and made him lose control.
October 10, 2008: Mr Hofstee is farewelled at a service packed with mourners at the Gold Coast's Trinity Anglican Mission.
February 4, 2009: Puneet, now 20, pleads guilty to culpable driving causing Mr Hofstee's death and negligent driving causing serious injuries to Mr Coker. A witness statement tendered to the court says Puneet flew by at such a furious speed that it appeared he "must have been on a suicide mission".
June 12, 2009: Puneet flees to India using a co-worker's passport.
August 20, 2009: Puneet's flight comes to public attention, as police reveal the fugitive had not reported to them for almost two months. A County Court judge issues a warrant for his arrest. Puneet's co-worker Sukhcharanjit Singh, 20, faces court over accusations he gave Puneet his passport. He is later charged.
August 21, 2009: The State Government declares cost would be no object in bringing Puneet back from India, but face a roadblock due to Australia not having an extradition treaty with India. The Director of Public Prosecutions says he will start extradition proceedings as soon as police confirm Puneet's whereabouts in India.
September 30, 2009: Victoria Police and the Office of Public Prosecution are left red-faced after it is revealed they failed to correctly complete paperwork to extradite Puneet from India.
October 14, 2009: It emerges at a bail hearing for Singh that Puneet held a farewell party with mates before fleeing justice.
October 15, 2009: Singh is released on bail despite fears he could follow Puneet in fleeing to India.
March 24, 2011: Singh, now 22, is jailed for a minimum of 18 months for helping Puneet flee.
August 7, 2012: Police issue a $100,000 reward for finding Puneet.
November 30, 2013: Puneet is arrested in India.

Since then the family have been doing what they can to drag it out but the courts got sick of it and compelled Puneets team to finally put up or shut up with a "last time" warning on 19 March.

A time line that I am maintaining for myself.

1Oct2008 - Puneet killed one pedestrian Dean Hofstee and injured Clancy Cloker when speeding (148kph in 60kph zone) drunk in Southbank, Melbourne. ("Mr Hofstee was killed instantly and friend Clancy Coker suffered critical injuries. Puneet fled the scene, but was later arrested and recorded a blood alcohol reading of 0.165. He should have had a zero alcohol reading as a learner.")
1Jun2009 - Booked flight with passport or friend Sukhcharanjit Singh.
12Jun2009 - Flew out of Australia as "Sukhcharanjit Singh"
2009 - Fled Australia on friends passport. Friend sentenced to 30months gaol, served 18months.
14Oct2009 - Bail hearing for friend Sukhcharanjit Singh. Emerged that Puneet held a farewell party shortly before he fled.
7Aug2012 - Reward of $100,000 offered by Victorian police.
19Nov2013 - Mother, Farther and several uncles booked three rooms at the hotel used on 28Nov.
Th28Nov2013 - Police nabbed Puneet in a hotel in Panipat, 90km north of Delhi where he was meeting with family members. He was dressed in his wedding clothes.
Sa30Nov2013 - Date of Puneets intended wedding
13Dec2013 - Family pleas for help from Indian government to not send Puneet to Australia, being scared.
We18Dec2013 - Extradition hearing #1, adj to Th9Jan2014, Lawyers claims "hatred towards Indian students in Australia".
Th9Jan2014 - Extradition hearing #2 (resumed from from 18Dec). Adjourned to Th6Feb2014 "due to absence of some senior members of the counsel".
Th6Feb2014 Extradition hearing #3 (resumed from 9Jan). Adjourned to Th20Feb2014.
Th20Feb2014 - Extradition hearing #4 (resumed from 6Feb) - But again adjourned to We19Mar2014 (4th time) "as one of his lawyers failed to appear".
We26Feb2014 - Court refuses bail plea.
We19Mar2014 - Extradition hearing #5 (resumed from 20Feb). Adjourned "final time" to Sa19Apr2014 No reason reported yet in media, but "last time" warning from court.
Sa19Apr2014 - Date set for extradition hearing #6 (resumed from 19Mar). _Subsequntly this hearing was on We23Apr instead.
We23Apr2014 - Extradition hearing #6 (resumed from 19Mar). Delhi High Court judge "reserved the order for writing and pronouncement of the judgement." Next hearing is set for Th22may2014.
Tu29Apr2014 - Puneet again refused bail by Delhi High Court (India's highest court).
Th22May2014 - Date set for High Court's "order" to be handed down. Out of hearing #6 (We23Apr).

[diventare]

Seriously selfish.
Not sure how you can kill and maim by virtue of your own stupidity and not feel like you have to face the consequences.
Silly excuses and then do a runner, very different to how I was raised. There is a need to just take personal responsibility and say "I did it and I'm sorry".
So difficult to feel anything but ultra contempt that this filth expected to not have to atone for the lives that he robbed and damaged.

[ColinOldnCranky]

Seriously selfish.
Not sure how you can kill and maim by virtue of your own stupidity and not feel like you have to face the consequences.
Silly excuses and then do a runner, very different to how I was raised. There is a need to just take personal responsibility and say "I did it and I'm sorry".
So difficult to feel anything but ultra contempt that this filth expected to not have to atone for the lives that he robbed and damaged.

But he was a victim. (Google it "Puneet victim cyclist"

Yeah, Selfish is one of his vbirtues. (And of course he landed a mate of his in the slammer fro 20 months and lost the guy any chance of ever coming back to Oz.)

[Xplora]

Didn't know about his mate getting pinged for the passport. I'm surprised anyone on the face of the planet will look sadly upon him... got visions of his lawyer saying to his wife at the end of the day "I'm glad I get paid to do this"... or maybe just peels through the wad of cash because he won't take a cheque

[jules21]

If Puneet's family thought that at the time that their boy absconded, the Indian government never gave them much cause to retain that belief. He had to remain below the radar and out of sight for many years. Once tipped off the authorities staked out the place with an abundance of resources and played the waiting game.

It seems that they took their international obligations and an extradition treaty with Australia seriously.

i'm not as confident on this. i read an article on it and apparently he was only caught after the AFP got involved and acted on information on his whereabouts, passed onto Indian police. it's possible that was just how it unfolded, but it begs the question: wouldn't it be more likely that the Indian police would have found him first, had they been genuinely looking? it's not racist to say that if you are caught by the cops in India for something, there is in most cases an easy way out, i.e. involving the transfer of currency.

the other point that was made was that indian authorities are concerned about maintaining the ability to extradite their own criminals from australia, and that this likely played a part in their enthusiasm for returning him (notwithstanding the potentially different attitudes of individual police there with more down-to-earth priorities).

[ColinOldnCranky]

If Puneet's family thought that at the time that their boy absconded, the Indian government never gave them much cause to retain that belief. He had to remain below the radar and out of sight for many years. Once tipped off the authorities staked out the place with an abundance of resources and played the waiting game.

It seems that they took their international obligations and an extradition treaty with Australia seriously.

i'm not as confident on this. i read an article on it and apparently he was only caught after the AFP got involved and acted on information on his whereabouts, passed onto Indian police. it's possible that was just how it unfolded, but it begs the question: wouldn't it be more likely that the Indian police would have found him first, had they been genuinely looking? it's not racist to say that if you are caught by the cops in India for something, there is in most cases an easy way out, i.e. involving the transfer of currency.

the other point that was made was that indian authorities are concerned about maintaining the ability to extradite their own criminals from australia, and that this likely played a part in their enthusiasm for returning him (notwithstanding the potentially different attitudes of individual police there with more down-to-earth priorities).

I'd suggest that our federal police would not neccesarily put a high priority on such a matter if the situation was reversed and/or India showed that they were seriously after him.

It was further ocmplicated by some stuffups by our side incompleting the original request which, it seems may have been because of the extradition treaty that existed between us at the time. Further that treaty reuired us to meet conditions that required us to PROVE that Punnet would be found guilty in an Indian court (moore or less). I am not talking aboutr deminstrating a case to answer, but a case that would result in a conviction. AFAIK Australia did not get to that point. So there was little point in using resources - it's not as if the Indian police have an excess o fresources or a shortage of other pressing matters to deal with.

In due course Australia and India negotiated a new treaty that only needs now to demonstrates a case to answer - a lot easier to achieve. We are waiting on the court to hand down it's decision (I guess as to whether we have now met the less onerous conditions).

When the police did have something to act on they did it efficiently and effectively and with more than just a cop or two knocking on a door, no tip-offs to the family and on the first attempt.

I don't think you can ask for much more.

It is always quite possible however that his lawyers find some loophole to exploit in which case it will have been for nought. I dare say many in Oz will then drag out the stereotypes and claim all sorts of corruption and nepotism. This despite us seeing cases in own courts regularly failed technicalities regardless of the facts.

[ColinOldnCranky]

Status in March was that Puneet had exhausted bail appeals (exhausted according to the media, but I have reason to be not so sure myself) and that the Delhi High Court had (FINALLY!) heard puneets case not to be extradited. A decision was to be handed down on 22 May.

I can't see any reference whatsover of the decision (Googling). Has anyone heard anything about the High Courts decision? Or an alternate date?

[ColinOldnCranky]

I have been checking regularly via google and google news for the Delhi HIgh Court decision on Puneet Puneet's extradition, which was set to be May 22. Nothing anywhere as far as I can see.

Is anyone aware of the state of play. Has a decision been handed down? Has the date been changed?

[ColinOldnCranky]

Still no progress afaik. Anyone know differently?

[high_tea]

No. All I found was:
http://wap.business-standard.com/articl ... 888_1.html

which said that he got bailed for the day sometime in September to get married(he actually asked for 5 days' bail!) and that the extradition proceedings were still on foot.

[ColinOldnCranky]

No. All I found was:
http://wap.business-standard.com/articl ... 888_1.html

which said that he got bailed for the day sometime in September to get married(he actually asked for 5 days' bail!) and that the extradition proceedings were still on foot.

Yep. And further to that, he did not get hitched anyway. The claim is that cultural imperatives require x number o days and x was not 1. However it seems that this was trotted out AFTER the failure to tie the knot and not presented to the judge (who, presumablly, would be in a position to determine if it was a lie ).

After so much real effort by the various agencies in India to seriously resist populist arguments presented by what has proven to be a highly dishonest family and to call a spade a spade on multiple occasion s and the pretty much media cynicism of the arguments put (English speakign media anyway) it is disappointing not be kept even a little aware of what has been happening post April 29 court appearance in which May 22nd for decision day was set. Other than the attempt to get a few days off to tie the knot, there is nothing anywhere (and I have looked way harder than simple Google search). I truly hope that the Indian justice system is still pursuing this with the vigour that they have been exhibiting since around 2010/2011 if not earlier.

[Cheesewheel]

The latest on this one.

Nothing really new to add except that his 26th( ) hearing to fight the extradition has been extended to January 13.

[jules21]

indian jail > aussie jail

if i were him I'd just to my time in aussie jail

[ColinOldnCranky]

More bleating from the family about a "simple mistake" (Drunk and driving in a suburban street at night at 150 plus kph is justs "simple mistake"), tanigs about racist Australia that is sure to make him somewaht marked when he inevityable does ahve to serve his time here) and not a skerick of acknowledgement of the magnitude of the damage, not a skerrick of regret shown to the victimes, and no acknowledging the irresponsibly of Puneet at every step of the way in this case. And probably not much concern either about leaving a "friend" to face the courts. (He was dumped in jail for, by memory, 18 months and lost any chance to finish his studies in Oz.)

If they are as broke as they are bleating (consider first their credibility shown from earlier statements when they claimed had no ability to defend him which has proven to be a fiction, their direct lies to the authorities over time about knowledge of whereabouts and of assisting Puneet to elude the authorities) then that will just be an extra element of justice served. They, too, clearly have no concern for the real victims in this case. If this case drives them financially into the ground they want to look towards their son and their own actions as the cause but I doubt they would.

Looking forward to January 13th hearing.

[Xplora]

Racism is a weird card to play.

Punneet, we hate you because you are a bastard of a person. Your nationality makes no difference at all. If I was Indian, I would be ashamed to be associated with your country, colour or creed.

If you want to be treated like a human being, with justice and impartiality in the court, you have to look like you will give it to your victims first. Mistakes have consequences. Face them.

What a coward.

[Mulger bill]

Racism is a weird card to play.

Punneet, we hate you because you are a bastard of a person. Your nationality makes no difference at all. If I was Indian, I would be ashamed to be associated with your country, colour or creed.

If you want to be treated like a human being, with justice and impartiality in the court, you have to look like you will give it to your victims first. Mistakes have consequences. Face them.

What a coward.

Could not have said it better with the exception of the bit about mistakes. That speed in that area with a gutload of grog goes WAY beyond mistake into FTW territory.

[jules21]

i think we should go easy on the hatred. hands up who hasn't done dumb stuff in cars when they were younger? i know i did. not that bad i don't think, but i made a lot of mistakes. some of them could have hurt people. he got caught, and he's trying to weasel out of the penalty. not great - but who wouldn't try and avoid jail if they could? a lot of us would.

I don't hate him, but he needs to serve his time. we don't know what he really thinks - he may well be very remorseful - not wanting to go to jail doesn't mean he's laughing about the incident.

[ldrcycles]

Dumb is me attempting to do a burnout on a deserted street late at night in my first car (a 4 cylinder Camry). Getting drunk and doing 150kmh is not dumb, it's inexcusable.

[Xplora]

Yep - most young peoples' mistakes don't result in fatalities. The rest is aggravating circumstances. Yes we all prang cars and do stupid things, but the respect for humanity doesn't leave you just because you are young.

Society needs limits enforced for the protection of its citizens. This ain't MHL, this is your human rights at stake. You do have a right to life.