HC stays order to extradite Indian accused of rash driving which left Australian dead

Additional Chief Metropolitan had, in his order passed on August 12, dealt with an “extradition inquiry report” of the accused.

The incident took place on the intervening night of September 30, 2008 and October 1, 2008. The Indian citizen was reportedly driving a sedan in a drunken state and allegedly hit a pedestrian, Dean Byron Hofstee, who died. Serious injuries were caused to another pedestrian, Clancy Coker.

The accused pleaded guilty to the offences of culpable driving and negligently causing serious injury and later in 2009 left Australia using the passport of another Indian national, following which a warrant was issued against him. Following a request for extradition and arrest, a communication from Punjab Police in 2013 showed that he had been arrested on November 29, 2013.

During the hearing, the lawyers for the accused had also argued that his client was targeted by the local media in Australia on account of his race and nationality.