Australia offers reward for info on fugitive Indian

Authorities in the state of Victoria announced a reward of Rs 57 lakhs on Tuesday for information about an Indian man who fled the country after being accused of negligent driving that led to the death of a pedestrian — the first time a reward has been offered for a traffic offence.

In 2008, Chandigarh-born Puneet Rewal, then 19, rammed his vehicle into Dean Hofstee, also 19, while he was walking with his friend Clancy Coker along City Road in Southbank. Coker suffered serious injuries but survived. Hofstee died on the spot. Both were students from Queensland visiting Melbourne.

At the time of the accident, Rewal was estimated to have been driving at a speed of 148 km/h in a 60km/h zone. Though a learner-driver at the time, Rewal's blood alcohol reading was more than three times the legal limit even for a licenced driver.

The Australian High Commissioner, Peter Varghese, on Tuesday, welcomed the announcement of the reward by the Victorian Government for information leading to the location, arrest and subsequent return to Victoria of Rewal. Rewal is believed to be living in India although his exact whereabouts are unknown.

Rewal was charged with culpable driving and negligently causing serious injury following the collision. He was granted bail on strict conditions, which included the surrender of his Indian passport. However, when he failed to attend his August 2009 court hearing in Melbourne, authorities discovered he had left Australia on June 12, 2009, using the passport of another Indian student, Sukhcharanjit Singh. In March 2011, Singh pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice. He was convicted and sentenced to two-and-half years in prison.

Deputy Commissioner Graham Ashton said, "We believe that there are people in Australia and India who can provide information in relation to Puneet's whereabouts," he said.

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