New Delhi, November 3 Australia’s High Commissioner to India, Barry O’Farrell AO, noted the Queensland Government’s announcement of a AUD 10 (approximately Rs 5.31 crore) reward for information leading to the identification and arrest of Rajwinder Singh, 38. wanted for the murder of Toyah Cordingley. Cordingley went missing on 21 October 2018 and her body was found the next morning at Wangetti Beach, Queensland. This is the first time a reward of A$1 million has been announced to “attract the attention of an international public to track down this person”, a local police officer said. India has already passed its extradition order in March last year. Rajwinder Singh was born in Buttar Kalan in Moga district and is believed to be living in India, although his exact whereabouts are unknown. Police released images of him as he was on his way to board a flight to India on October 23, 2018, leaving his wife and three children behind. His brother had earlier admitted that Rajwinder landed at the Amritsar airport and was in mental distress over work-related matters. Little is known of him since then. Three Australian Federal Police detectives are in New Delhi working with the Central Bureau of Investigation on the case. The reward offered by the Queensland government will support efforts by Indian authorities to locate and arrest Rajwinder, a statement from the Australian High Commission said. The officers who know Hindi and Punjabi have been specially assigned to solve the murder which happened while Cordingley was walking her dog. “We know that people know this person, they know where this person is, and we’re asking those people to do the right thing. This person is accused of a very heinous crime. a crime that tore a family apart,” Police Minister Mark Ryan said. Detective Inspector Sonia Smith, who is in charge of the case, was quoted as saying: “We strongly believe there are people who could share information about Rajwinder’s whereabouts. This is definitely the time to come forward and tell us what you know.” In India, people with information can call the Australian Federal Police at the Australian High Commission on +91 11 4122 0972.
