Indian court allows extradition of man wanted in Australia for woman's murder

By Ahmad Adil

NEW DELHI (AA) – A court in India approved the extradition of Indian-origin Rajwinder Singh, who is accused of murdering a woman in Queensland, Australia in 2018.

On Tuesday, a court in New Delhi said in view of the voluntary statement of "fugitive criminal" Singh and the extradition inquiry report, the Indian government is "requested to extradite Singh to the government of Australia."

The court also ordered the accused to be placed in judicial custody in Delhi's Tihar Jail till the formalities of extradition are complete.

An advocate privy to the case told Anadolu on Tuesday that Singh had recently submitted to the court that he wanted to face the trial in Australia and gave his consent for extradition.

Singh is accused of murdering Toyah Cordingley, 24, in 2018 in Queensland, Australia.

Singh, an Indian-origin citizen, had fled the country and reached India, where he remained absconding.

He was arrested near New Delhi last year.

In November last year, the Australian High Commissioner to India announced that anyone providing information on the suspect would be rewarded with A$1 million (approximately US$702k).

It said that Singh, 38, is wanted by Queensland authorities in relation to the murder of Toyah Cordingley in 2018. The statement said Cordingley was reported missing on Oct. 21, 2018, and her body "was tragically discovered the following morning at Wangetti Beach, Queensland."

There is an extradition treaty between Australia and India.

In 2019, India's Ministry of External Affairs said in parliament that "India has signed extradition treaties with fifty countries and entered into extradition arrangements with eleven more countries to facilitate extradition."