A man suspected of the 2018 murder of Cairns woman Toyah Cordingley has been transferred to an Indian prison where he will remain in custody before appearing before a New Delhi court next week.
Former Innisfail nurse Rajwinder Singh, 38, was arrested on Friday by authorities in the country's capital after spending time in India's northern Punjab region.
It comes after 24-year-old Toyah Cordingley was killed while walking alone with her dog at Wangetti Beach, north of Cairns in October 2018.
His arrest has sparked shock and relief for Ms Cordingley's family and the Cairns community, but also warnings from legal experts of a potentially lengthy extradition process.
The Queensland government offered a record $1 million reward for information leading to the location and arrest of Mr Singh, who flew to India in the days after Ms Cordingley's death.
After appearing in a New Delhi court, Mr Singh has been taken to Tihar prison — the largest prison complex in South Asia — where he will remain in custody until his next court appearance before an Indian court on November 30.
Family 'absolutely ecstatic'
Queensland man Wayne "Prong" Trimble, who has been speaking on behalf of Ms Cordingley's family, said both the alleged murder and recent arrest had sent shockwaves across the Cairns community.
"We are absolutely over the Moon at the moment. We're still taking it all in," Mr Trimble said.
"We've been at this for years now, so the end might be coming for this part of the chapter anyway."
Mr Trimble said he had spoken at length with Ms Cordingley's mother, Vanessa Gardiner who said she and Toyah's father Troy were "absolutely ecstatic".
"The family needed this. We all did, the whole community," he said.
"We didn't expect this to happen in our own backyard. It shocked the whole community, the whole world.
"We knew with this money [the $1 million reward], something was going to happen.
"We take our hats off to the Queensland Police Service. They've got a result. They've done their job."
Ms Cordingley's body was discovered by her father Troy on Wangetti Beach, located between tourist hotspots Cairns and Port Douglas, after hours of searching.
Extradition process could take years
Indian Public Prosecutor Ajay Digpaul said the authorities take extradition proceedings very seriously in India.
"The allegations against him are that he committed an offence of murder in Australia and then absconded'" he said.
"After verifying the records 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."
Mr Digpal said the inquiry will need to confirm the suspect's identity, that "murder" is an indictable offence, and that the case is "not of a political nature".
He said even if the court does decide to extradite Mr Singh back to Australia, he has a right to appeal to a higher authority on the basis there were errors in the law.
He said despite a treaty between the two countries, extradition could well be a long way off.
Criminal lawyer and former president of the Queensland Law Society, Bill Potts, said to secure Mr Singh's extradition, prosecutors would have to persuade Indian courts the case against him was strong enough that he could be convicted, which could be a matter of years.
"In India, the system is massively overcrowded and is subject to all sorts of procedural delays and appeals which may in fact frustrate, 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 just not as simple as saying, 'The evidence is obvious, let's extradite him."
'Breakthrough' arrest follows years-long investigation
Detective Acting Superintendent Sonia Smith said the investigating team was relieved to hear from the Australian Federal Police of Mr Singh's arrest.
"This is a major breakthrough in our investigation. We've been working towards this moment for four years," she said.
"We have worked tirelessly for the last four years, often in the background, not being able to publicly give information."
She said Ms Cordingley's family was "in shock" when advised of the arrest yesterday.
Acting Superintendent Smith thanked the public and the media for assisting the investigation.
"By being able to … put the reward and Rajwinder Singh's name in every lounge room across the world, it did result in information being received by the police," she said.
She said Queensland police were hoping more public tip-offs could help investigators build their case.
"Every piece of information that we're given is helpful," she said.
"It's like a piece of the puzzle and we just need one more piece. There can never be too much information."
Mr Singh will appear before court on November 30.
