Toyah’s accused killer to be extradited

The man accused of killing Toyah Cordingley on a Queensland beach will be extradited to Australia.

The man accused of killing Toyah Cordingley on a Queensland beach will be extradited to Australia in the next four to six weeks following an Indian court decision.

Rajwinder Singh is accused of murdering Ms Cordingley, 24, while she walked her dog on Wangetti Beach, north of Cairns, in October 2018, before fleeing to India.

Singh was arrested on November 25 following a massive manhunt after Queensland Police stumped up a $1m reward for information that led to his capture.

Appearing in New Delhi’s Patiala House Court on Tuesday via video, Singh was told by Judge Swati Sharma: “I am allowing your extradition to Australia.”

Singh replied, “Thank you.”

Toyah Cordingley was killed at Wangetti Beach on October 21, 2018 in a crime that shocked the Far North Queensland community. Picture: Facebook

Judge Sharma then asked the Union of India lawyer, Advocate Ajay Digapaul, how much time it would take to shift Singh to Australia.

“In around three to four weeks,” Mr Digapaul replied.

The lengthy extradition process will now go through to the Union of India, who, after they receive the final copy of the order, will submit it to the Indian government.

The government will then process the extradition and issue a formal order to relocate Singh to Australia.

However, if the government doesn’t comply with the order within 60 days, Singh will be able to seek bail from the court.

Singh joined the hearing via videolink from Delhi’s Tihar Jail, where he has been since his arrest.

Rajwinder Singh, in red, leaving court in India last week. Picture: Tawqeer Hussain

He was arrested in a joint operation by Delhi Police’s special cell, the Central Bureau of Investigations and Interpol while on his way to a doctor’s appointment in New Delhi, travelling in a private car from the Punjab region. He fronted court the same day.

In a previous hearing on January 10, Singh signed a document that said he did not wish to fight the extradition.

“I know the consequences and nature of the case and am willing to go to Australia and face the trial,” Singh said in the letter of consent.

Singh has not hired a lawyer in India, but has instead maintained that he will “contest the charges in Australia”.

“I am willing to go to Australia as I have done nothing wrong,” he told The Courier-Mail on January 7 outside court. “I will reveal all details before an Australian court when I am back.”

Earlier in the last hearing on January 10, Singh, through his legal aid, advocate Lovedeep Singh, applied to move to a single occupancy cell and complained of the food being “too spicy”.

The court refused the application and asked the lawyer to find some alternative in the jail manual.

“As per the response from the jail authorities, there is not such a feasibility available,” the court told Singh’s lawyer.

“You can check the jail manual and find an alternative for his food.”