NEW DELHI: The lawyer arguing for runaway driver Puneet Puneet not to be extradited to Australia surprised an Indian court judge when he claimed that Australian High Commission officials were "hassling" staff at the medical institute responsible for assessing whether Puneet is medically fit to be extradited.

"Embassy officials have told everyone at the hospital that [Puneet] is wanted for extradition," said Puneet’s counsel Kanhaiya Kumar Singhal.

"Everyone knows – doctors and patients. They keep hassling everyone for information about their assessment. They should be told to stop this."

Justice Gurmohina Kaur said she did not want anyone "making allegations" and "distorting the facts".

Australia has been seeking hit-and-run Indian driver Puneet’s extradition ever since he fled to India using a friend’s passport in 2009.