Australian woman murder case: Delhi court reserves order on request for extradition of Rajvinder Singh
Jan 20, 2023
New Delhi [India], January 20 : Delhi's Patiala House Court on Friday reserved its order for January 24 on the request to extradite Rajvinder Singh to Australia. He is accused of murdering an Australian woman in Queensland in 2018.
Singh was arrested by Delhi police in November 2022 on Interpol notice. He has given his statement expressing his willingness to go to Australia.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Swati Sharma is likely to pronounce the order on January 24 in the matter.
During the hearing, the court asked the special public prosecutor (SPP) to highlight the relevant documents in the extradition request.
SPP Ajay Digpaul highlighted the relevant documents related to his identity and other documents in the application moved by the Central Government. He also apprised the court about the relevant sections of the Extradition Act.
During the hearing, Rajvinder Singh's Legal Aid Counsel Love Deep Gaur requested the court to shift the accused from the general cell to a separate cell in view of his security. He also sought direction to jail authorities to provide him with non-spicy and boiled food.
The court issued a notice to jail authorities and sought a reply to the application on Saturday.
Rajvinder Singh was arrested on November 25, 2022, by the Delhi police's Special Cell in this matter.
On January 10, he made a statement in the court that he is willing to go to Australia and contest the case there.
The court recorded the statement of Rajvinder Singh in the presence of his counsel Love Deep Gaur. Advocate Ajay Digpaul special public prosecutor for Central Government was also present.
Rajvinder Singh has made a statement that he is willing to go to Australia. He has no objection if he is extradited. He is ready to face the trial in Australia. He is aware of the extradition proceedings and their consequences. He also said he is aware a case is pending against him in Australia.
On January 7, he moved an application to give his consent to extradite to Australia. Earlier he said that he wishes to go to Australia to contest the case there.
Just on the way to the courtroom, Rajvinder had told the reporters, "I didn't kill the woman. I want this case to be investigated by Australian police." On a question, why did he flee from Australia? He said, he is going to explain everything before the court there.
Legal Aid Counsel (LAC) Love Deep Gaur moved the application on behalf of Rajvinder Singh.
On December 24, Rajvinder Singh before the Court expressed his "desire to go to Australia and contest the case there." He is facing an extradition inquiry in India.
He was arrested and produced before Patiala House Court by the Delhi police special cell on November 25.
Earlier a non-bailable warrant was issued for the arrest of Rajvinder by the court.
According to sources, Rajvinder was in Australia for 10 years and was working as a male nurse. The woman who was allegedly killed by him was unknown to him. He holds a BSc degree. He also got Australian citizenship and was married to a woman who is also an Australian citizen.
Delhi Police special cell arrested Rajvinder, an accused of killing an Australian woman in Queensland in 2018.
The Queensland police declared a reward of 1 million Australian dollars, the largest ever offered by the department for giving information about the accused.
On November 4, 2022, vide Twitter, the Australian High Commission informed the declaration of the reward of 1 million Australian dollars on the arrest of one Rajvinder Singh, an Indian-origin Australian citizen, who had committed the gruesome murder of an Australian woman on October 21, 2018, in Queensland, Australia and had been absconding ever since.
INTERPOL had issued Red Corner Notice (RCN) regarding the said accused.
The CBI/INTERPOL, New Delhi had got issued a non-bailable warrant, under The Extradition Act, against his name from the Patiala House Court on November 21, 2022.
On November 25, based on inputs shared by CBI/INTERPOL and Australian counterparts, the accused was apprehended near GT Karnal Road and arrested by the Special Cell of Delhi Police.
The accused is being produced before the concerned court as per law for further proceedings.
