Light sentence demand
Killer seeks justice on own terms
KILLER hit-run driver Puneet Puneet is demanding Victorian authorities offer him a maximum two-year jail term in return for his surrender back to Australia.
Puneet fled the country in the wake of the crash that killed Gold Coast student Dean Hofstee and has since faced court more than 80 times in India in a desperate effort to dodge extradition.
His lawyer said that Puneet is now “ready to face justice” – but is outrageously demanding a lenient sentence for him to come back to Melbourne.
“Let government of Australia give us an offer that he will be sentenced to a maximum of two years and surety of his safe life in jail. He will immediately surrender in the country,” Kanhaiya Kumar Singhal said.
Acting Attorney-General Gavin Jennings hit back last night, saying Victoria’s courts would decide on the appropriate punishment.
“Puneet Puneet needs to return to Victoria to face the consequences of his actions and we won’t rest until justice is served,” Mr Jennings said.
Puneet is facing up to 20 years behind bars for culpable driving causing the death of Mr Hofstee in 2008.
He pleaded guilty before escaping to India on a friend’s passport, spending more than four years on the run until he was arrested on the morning of his wedding.
Mr Singhal said this week that “going to jail is not an issue” for Puneet, who also pleaded guilty to negligent driving causing serious injuries to Mr Hofstee’s friend Clancy Coker.
“He believes in justice. But he is concerned that he will not be given due justice in Australia,” Mr Singhal said.
“When he pleaded guilty in 2008, he was told that he will be given a sentence of 20-30 years. Is it a reasonable sentence? No, it is not. Even murderers don’t get such sentence.”
He said the fatal accident – caused by Puneet driving at 150km/h in a 60km/h zone, with a blood alcohol reading of 0.165 – was an “unintentional action”.
“Puneet is a religious person. He understands the pain of Hofstee family. He always prays for them,” Mr Singhal said.
“He regrets why he was driving the car that time. He always repeats that it was just an accident and not a deliberate attempt to kill someone. He is sorry for that.”
Mr Singhal argued that “nothing more punishment is required for him” as Puneet served time behind bars in Delhi during the prolonged legal fight to extradite him.
“Puneet is not running away from law,” he said.
“Keeping him behind the bars in India or Australia doesn’t affect anyone. The purpose is to punish him, if he is guilty.”
Attorney-General Jill Hennessy recently sought the Federal Government’s assistance in progressing Puneet’s extradition.
He is due to face court again on July 15, but even if his extradition is deemed appropriate, the matter must then be considered by the Indian Government.
Puneet’s mother has previously claimed that her son would not be safe in Australia because “it is a racial country”.