Melbourne: An Indian-origin truck driver, charged with the murder of four members of a family in a road accident, was today granted bail by an Australian court even as police argued that he is a flight risk. Jobandeep Gill, a 27-year-old sub-contractor for a trucking company here, has been accused of killing four persons, two of them children, when the truck he was driving crashed into their car last week. A nine-year old boy was the only survivor. Police opposed Gill's bail plea on the grounds that he would attempt to flee the country using a friend's passport as did Puneet, another Indian charged with murder in a 2008 case, five years ago while on bail, The Age reported.

Investigators are still trying to extradite Puneet from India. The court heard police had Gill's passport, but investigators were concerned he might use his brother's passport to flee. Chief magistrate Peter Lauritsen, however, granted bail saying police had failed to produce any evidence in their support. "There is no real flight risk other than he is an Indian national," Lauritsen said. Gill was granted bail on condition that he would visit police twice a week, not drive any vehicle and on a surety of AUD 15,000.