Toyah Cordingley (Update)

There has been an update in the story of Toyah Cordingley (episode #169 from 2021). Just recently, Queensland officials announced a $1,000,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Rajwinder Singh, who was believed to be hiding out in his native India...

Just a couple of weeks ago, on November 17th, I uploaded an update episode about the Toyah Cordingley story, which I had originally covered a while back. The update concerned the $1 million reward announced by Queensland officials, which they hoped would bring Toyah's alleged killer, Rajwinder Singh, out of the shadows.

Well, it happened, just as expected.

38-year-old Rajwinder Singh was arrested just days ago, on November 25th, 2022, in New Delhi, India. Authorities in India had believed him to be hiding out in the area for the past four years, primarily in the northern Punjab region, but were finally able to put eyes on him last Friday.

Authorities received information that Singh had been living with a religious group in India, and in November, received a tip that he was going to be traveling for a doctor's appointment on November 25th.

Following his arrest, while speaking to police, Rajwinder Singh reportedly offered up the first details pointing to a motive... which is honestly so stupid that it makes you sad that this cowardly individual took out his frustrations on Toyah, ending her life in the process.

Apparently, Singh went to Wangetti Beach the day of the murder after fighting with his wife, and happened to be carrying some fruit with him, along with a kitchen knife. There, at the beach, he encountered Toyah walking with her dog. The dog started barking at Singh, and he started arguing with Toyah, resulting in the two of them yelling at each other. Unable to control his emotions, Singh then attacked and murdered Toyah in a frenzy, stabbing her multiple times with the knife he carried. He then buried her body in the sand, and tied her dog to a nearby tree, before panicking and running away. As recounted in my original episode and the update episode a couple of weeks ago, he abandoned his family, his career, and his life in Australia, disappearing to his native India.

Last Friday, at approximately 6:00 AM local time, Rajwinder Singh was taken into custody by Indian police, looking noticeably different than he had four years prior... not only was he thinner, but he was rocking a big, unkempt beard and a turban, neither of which he had worn before becoming a fugitive.

Singh was transferred from local police custody to India's Tihar prison, the largest prison complex in South Asia, where he will likely remain for some time as he awaits extradition.

When announcing the arrest to the public, Queensland's police commissioner Katarina Carroll told reporters:

"It was never a question of it, but when this day would come... I am very confident we have a strong case to put before the courts."

Police Minister Mark Ryan said that the arrest of Rajwinder Singh was an exciting and promising development, but also cautioned:

"... this is very early days in this next step of delivering justice for Toyah. I know people are excited about this development and I know people are relieved."

Despite an extradition order for Rajwinder Singh being filed in 2021, and approved by Indian officials a little over a month ago (October 2022), it's not quite a done deal. At least, not yet. Before Singh can be extradited to Australia, he first has to undergo a rigorous court process in India... a process that, coincidentally, started the day before I'm recording this, November 30th.

As stated by Indian Public Prosecutor Ajay Digpaul to reporters from ABC:

"The allegations against [Rajwinder Singh] are that he committed an offence of murder in Australia and then absconded... After verifying the record it was found by Australian authorities he has [allegedly] run away and took Indian flights... Now the court will hold an inquiry - it's like a summary trial."

The court will need to confirm Singh's identity and the charges filed against him, determining whether or not they are political in any way - and only then can they approve extradition. Even then, Singh has the right under Indian law to appeal to a higher authority, meaning that we might still be some ways off from extradition itself. One similar case, involving a hit & run offender being extradited to Melbourne (Puneet Puneet) has been unfolding slowly over the past decade, to give you some kind of hint about an expected timetable.

In the same article, criminal lawyer and former president of Queensland Law Society, Bill Potts, offers up an explanation on why it may take so long for extradition to happen:

"In India, the system is massively overcrowded and is subject to all sorts of procedural delays and appeals which may in fact frustrat, I suspect, many of the friends and families of Ms. Cordingley who may expect it will be a quick procedure. It simply won't be.

"The hearing, at least, of the extradition manner may be subject to all kinds of procedural delays... It's not just as simple as saying, 'The evidence is obvious, let's extradite him.'"

As I mentioned a few moments ago, Rajwinder Singh made his first appearance in Indian court yesterday, appearing emotionless for just a few minutes. The judge recessed the matter until December 17th, so we'll just have to wait until then to hear any more word. I likely won't be issuing another update in this case for quite some time, so I'd encourage anyone with an interest in this story to try and keep tabs on it.

While resolution in this story may be some ways off, it seems like justice may be close at hand... at least, in some way or another. Rajwinder Singh is no longer a fugitive from justice, and is now being held in Indian custody, awaiting probable extradition to Australia. Australian officials hope to extradite him with "maximum speed," claiming that it's a "high priority" for the Commonwealth, but this is a lengthy legal process that will likely play out over many months, if not years.

For the family and friends of Toyah Cordingley, however, this recent arrest means more than just resolution. For them, it may help provide a bit of closure for this painful chapter of their lives... which, for some, has been the darkest chapter. They've spent the last four years with a dark cloud hanging over them, but now they know that the bastard who killed their loved one is no longer free and clear, able to enjoy the luxuries of life and freedom that Toyah herself has been deprived of since November of 2018.

Wayne Trimble, a family friend that has been acting as the family's spokesperson for some time, told reporters following the next of the arrest:

"This part of the story is closest to the end it's ever been. It's a good feeling, believe me, we've been working a long time for this."

While I'm not quite ready to close the book on this story, I think it's safe to say that the story of Toyah Cordingley is nearly resolved.