The father of a Queensland lady allegedly murdered greater than 4 years in the past has welcomed the return of her alleged killer to Australia.
Rajwinder Singh, 38, boarded a Qantas Flight from Delhi to Melbourne on Tuesday night, arriving shortly after 12.30pm on Wednesday.
The Australian citizen had been held in an Indian jail since his arrest on November 25, a few month after Queensland Police introduced a $1m reward for info.
After a sequence of court docket appearances in India, he consented to return to Australia to face trial, denying he had any involvement in Ms Cordingley’s loss of life.
In footage taken from the Qantas aircraft, Mr Singh was escorted by Queensland law enforcement officials onto the empty aircraft sporting tracksuit pants and a jumper earlier than different passengers boarded.
Mr Singh is predicted to face a Melbourne court docket earlier than he’s moved to Cairns.
A press release launched by police stated: “The Queensland Police Service in partnership with the Australian Federal Police, Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department and Indian government have successfully extradited a man to face prosecution for the (alleged) murder of a Queensland woman in October, 2018.”
The physique of Ms Cordingley, 24, was discovered on a secluded Far North Queensland seaside in October 2018.
She had been out strolling her canine the night time earlier than, along with her household changing into apprehensive when she didn’t return.
Mr Singh is believed to have left Cairns the identical month.
Her father discovered the 24-year-old’s physique half-buried in sand dunes, with accidents police described as “visible” and “violent”.
On Wednesday, Troy Cordingley stated the news Mr Singh was returning to Australia was each optimistic and mentally tough to cope with.
“This is a very difficult time for me personally, both mentally and physically, but it is positive news,” he informed the Courier Mail.
“There is still a long way to go, but we are moving in the right direction.
“I will continue to stay as strong as I can until we reach some sort of justice for my beautiful girl.”
Police allege Mr Singh, who was working in Innisfail as a nurse in 2018, fled to the northern state of Punjab after Ms Cordingley was murdered whereas strolling her canine at Wangetti Beach, north of Cairns, on October 21, 2018.
A $1m reward was introduced on November 3 final yr for info resulting in the arrest of Mr Singh who was introduced as a suspect within the alleged homicide.
Queensland Police Service Deputy Commissioner Tracy Linford stated, on the time, police is not going to hand over searching for solutions for Ms Cordingley’s loss of life.
“Police will not give up – we remain incredibly determined to find answers for Toyah’s family and will do whatever we can to bring them closure,” she stated.
On the fourth anniversary of Ms Cordingley’s loss of life final yr, household spokesman David Trimble informed NCA NewsWire that she was missed each day.
“She’d probably be married now or have kids. She loved animals, so she would probably be working with them,” he stated on the time.
“The community, the family and the authorities will never give up on it and I mean that.
“It was horrific what happened and it really stung the community here.
“It was on our doorstep and it was absolutely terrible, it shook a lot of people.”
Source: www.news.com.au
