Reward$ 100 000 for Indian fugitive driver Puneet Puneet

Reward$ 100 000 for Indian fugitive driver Puneet Puneet

Australia

Melbourne: Australian police have announced a reward of over $100,000 on an Indian man Puneet Puneet who killed a student in Australia almost four years ago before fleeing the country.

Puneet Puneet was a 19-year-old learner-driver when he lost control and hit students Dean Hofstee and Clancy Cloker who were walking along City Road in Southbank in October 2008.

Hofstee, 19, was killed instantly while Cloker suffered critical injuries. Both were students visiting Melbourne from Queensland.

The USD 105,864.87 is now being offered for information that leads to Puneet’s arrest and return to Australia

Puneet pleaded guilty to culpable driving after recording a blood alcohol reading of 0.165

He fled to India using a friend’s passport just before he was due to face court in 2009 and police believe he is still living there.

Puneet had left Australia two months before the hearing using the passport of another Indian student, Sukhcharanjit Singh who has been convicted and sentenced to two-and-a-half year’s imprisonment for the offence.

Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Robert Hill said Puneet was believed to be living in India, and offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to the location, apprehension, and return of Puneet to Victoria.

The High Commission has requested anyone with information about the whereabouts of Puneet to call the Australian Federal Police in Delhi on 011 4149 4374.

Anyone with information about Puneet's location has been urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000

Information can also be provided online at

www.crimestoppers.com.au.