Rajwinder Singh arrest: Record $1m reward ‘paid in full’ after 20-month global search for Toyah’s alleged killer

Inside the public tip-offs to police that helped authorities track down fugitive and alleged killer Rajwinder Singh in India leading to the largest reward in Queensland’s history being ‘paid in full’.

The largest reward in the state’s history has been paid to a number of people who helped police track down fugitive Rajwinder Singh in India, four years after Toyah Cordingley was murdered on a Queensland beach.

The largest reward in the state’s history has been paid to “a number of people” who helped police track down fugitive Rajwinder Singh in India, securing his arrest four years after Toyah Cordingley was murdered on a Queensland beach.

Singh, a nurse and father-of-three, is expected to face a murder trial this year following his arrest in New Delhi three weeks after the announcement of a record $1 million reward.

He has declared his innocence.

Queensland Police Service confirmed the reward had been paid “in full” - the first time police have acknowledged the payment of an individual reward.

“The Queensland Police Service has finalised the reward process,” a police spokesman said in a brief statement.

“We appreciate the significant public interest in this matter, however information provided on the process is limited as it is obtained on a confidential basis.

“As such we will not reveal specifics of the reward only to advise it has been paid in full to a

number of claimants.”

The arrest of Rajwinder Singh in India, pictured at his first court appearance. Picture: Tawqeer Hussain

Ms Cordingley was murdered in October, 2018, while walking her dog along picturesque Wangetti Beach in North Queensland.

Her body was found in a shallow grave the next morning during a search mounted by friends and family.

Singh, who was working at the Innisfail Hospital at the time, flew to Sydney that same day before continuing on to India, police have alleged.

Police announced the record-breaking reward on November 3, 2022, with the unusual provision that it would be paid as a result of Singh’s arrest, rather than the outcome of any court proceedings.

“The Minister for Police … has approved a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to the location and arrest of Rajwinder Singh,” the reward poster, released in Australia and India, said.

“The allocation of the $1 million reward will be at the sole discretion of the Commissioner of the Queensland Police Service.”

The reward poster said Singh was a “person of interest” and that police were “appealing for public assistance for information leading to the location and arrest of Singh, who is believed to be in India”.

Toyah Cordingley was found dead at Wangetti Beach on Monday, October 22, 2018.

Three weeks later, Singh was arrested in New Delhi on the way to a doctor’s appointment.

The Courier-Mail revealed at the time the arrest came after a secret 20-month global sting that tracked Singh to a religious sect in the Punjab area.

Queensland detectives approached the Australian Federal Police’s Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team in March 2021 after discovering bank cards belonging to members of the Singh family - based in Australia - were being used in that part of India.

Police were able to determine the owners of the bank accounts were still in Australia while money was being withdrawn overseas.

Solid leads into Singh’s whereabouts began filtering in about a week after the reward was announced.

The first was a man who contacted police with a photograph of a man he said was Singh at a religious temple in Punjab.

The second was information from another man who said Singh was being driven to a doctor’s appointment in New Delhi the following day.

It is understood police were given a photograph of Singh, a photograph of his Queensland driver’s licence and the vehicle’s route and registration.

AFP officers in New Delhi approached local police, who quickly mobilised a team to carry out an arrest.

Queensland Police officers and detectives escort Rajwinder Singh from a chartered jet to a waiting police car at Cairns Airport after being extradited from New Delhi to Cairns via Melbourne. Picture: Brendan Radke

“The process will be followed in relation to the million dollars, however, if it has led to this person’s arrest, I will happily, happily, write out that cheque myself,” then-Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said upon Singh’s arrest.

“It has been a long, determined investigation to date and I certainly thank them for that.

“Elation, and relief, sadness, happiness for the family but bittersweet sadness for the family.

“She will never come back.”

Rajwinder Singh after being extradited from India on a chartered flight. Picture: Brendan Radke

Originally published as Rajwinder Singh arrest: Record $1m reward ‘paid in full’ after 20-month global search for Toyah’s alleged killer