Hit-run driver Puneet Puneet, who fled to India to avoid being sentenced in Australia, is in hospital after taking poison and is mentally unfit to face further extradition hearings, his lawyers have told a Delhi court.
Puneet was a 19-year-old learner driver when he ran into and killed Queensland student Dean Hofstee and seriously injured Clancy Coker in Melbourne in 2008 before fleeing to India in 2009 using a friend's passport.
"My client is suffering from serious medical conditions and consumed poison last night. He is suffering from mental illness", said Khaniya Kumar Singhal on Friday.
The defence lawyer elaborated by saying Puneet had swallowed Baygon - a household pesticide, and was in a serious yet stable condition at a Delhi hospital.
As the court heard the latest legal arguments in the case repeatedly had to ask the opposing lawyers to calm down.
During fiery exchanges between Mr Singhal and Bhaskar Vali, handling the extradition case for the Indian government, the defence claimed the case was "of political character" and some of the lines of argument had been "inhuman".
Judge Gurmohina Kaur sternly told them: "This is not how I expect two senior advocates to behave. Unless you can control your tone I will halt proceedings and you can go and have a cup of tea outside."
Mr Vali implored the judge not be swayed by the defence claims, arguing that she alone had the remit to say whether the case was of political character or not.
"We do not have a nefarious design to get Mr Puneet extradited", he said.
"He ran over someone then pleaded guilty, then ran away to his home country, breaking all trust. Any medical conditions put forward have to be viewed in the context of his previous conduct", Mr Vali told the Patiala District Court.
The defence said the trial caused their client to suffer from kidney conditions, that he had lost weight and felt he was being "persecuted not prosecuted".
Mr Singhal said: "If doctors say he is not fit to face trial - then what?"
Puneet's team has repeatedly claimed that the crime for which the Australian authorities are pursuing the case did not fall under usual extradition protocol "like rape or murder".
Puneet was on bail and awaiting sentence after pleading guilty to culpable driving when he fled Australia. He was arrested four years later in India, on his wedding day.
The next hearing will be at the Patiala District Court on February 26.
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