A Sydney man accused of murdering his wife by dousing her in petrol and setting her alight, has been granted bail.
Kulwinder Singh, 39, walked free on Friday after appearing in Parramatta Local Court charged with the domestic violence-related murder of his wife, Parwinder Kaur, in December 2013.
Ms Kaur suffered serious burns to 90 per cent of her body, along with inhalation burns, at their Rouse Hill home following the alleged incident.
Sydney man Kulwinder Singh, who has been accused of murdering his wife Parwinder Kaur (pictuerd) by dousing her in petrol and setting her alight has been granted bail
Singh, 39, (pictured) walked free on Friday after appearing in Parramatta Local Court charged with the domestic violence-related murder of Ms Kaur, in December 2013
Singh was arrested earlier this month after almost four years of investigations which were hampered by forensic delays.
Bitter tensions between the Sydney couple over their arranged marriage ‘had reached their apex’ on the day Ms Kaur suffered the catastrophic full thickness burns, the NSW court heard.
‘The principal allegations underpinning the conduct attributed to the defendant is that these events occurred against the backdrop of a lengthy period of marital disharmony and generally speaking, a period of domestic violence,’ Magistrate Theo Tsavdaridis said.
Facts tendered to the court disclosed an atmosphere of rising ‘acrimony’ between the pair prior to the death.
This included Ms Kaur opening a secret bank account, complaining to her family that she was being bashed, slapped and kicked by Singh, and a Sikh Temple elder becoming involved to assist the two families.
‘The culmination of this disharmony reached the stage where it seems the victim must have mustered the courage to confront the marital problems,’ the magistrate said.
Ms Kaur suffered serious burns to 90 per cent of her body, along with inhalation burns, at their Rouse Hill home following the alleged incident
Bitter tensions between the Sydney couple over their arranged marriage ‘had reached their apex’ on the day Ms Kaur suffered the catastrophic full thickness burns, the NSW court heard (Pictured is Singh’s arrest)
Prosecutors had opposed bail in part due to the seriousness of the offence, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, and over concerns Singh had significant ties to India and would leave Australia.
But Mr Tsavdaridis said the extent of the Crown’s case, based on the theory that Singh doused Ms Kaur in the house using a jerry can of two-stroke petrol accelerant, was ‘inconsistent with the expert evidence’ tendered.
Neighbours told a 2015 inquest into Ms Kaur’s death that Singh was seen running after his wife and patting her – as if to put out the flames.
They also said they heard a ‘blood-curdling scream’ and ‘a lady screaming for help,’ according to Nine News.
However, neighbours told a 2015 inquest into Ms Kaur’s death that Singh was seen running after his wife and patting her – as if to put out the flames
The magistrate said the evidence suggested Ms Kaur was doused from her torso downwards.
Singh’s barrister, Frank Santisi, argued there was no evidence linking his client to the accelerant and Ms Kaur’s fingerprints were found on the cigarette lighter and the jerry can, both in the couple’s laundry.
‘His conduct whilst the tragic situation was unfolding is quite consistent with him trying to assist the deceased rather than anything else,’ Mr Santisi said.
Mr Tsavdaridis granted Singh bail on ‘stringent’ conditions including an $800,000 surety, that he wears a self-funded ankle bracelet, abides by a curfew, is supervised by his sisters and surrenders his Australian passport and certificate of registration as an Indian citizen.
They also said they heard a ‘blood-curdling scream’ and ‘a lady screaming for help,’ according to Nine News
Magistrate Theo Tsavdaridis granted Singh bail on ‘stringent’ conditions including paying an $800,000 surety, wearing a self-funded ankle bracelet and surrendering his Australia passport (Pictured are emergency services carrying a body to a stretcher)
The magistrate said the case ‘involves some 1400 pages of evidence thus far’ and ‘there is likely to be a regrettable delay’ in it being allocated a trial date in the NSW Supreme Court.
He accepted that Singh’s fitness to plead and be tried, and his ability to give legal instruction, was ‘likely to be impeded by ongoing pre-trial incarceration’.
Forensic psychiatrist Dr Gerald Chew this month diagnosed Singh with a ‘major depressive episode’ and as suicidal, and said patients should be managed in psychiatric hospitals not in ‘sub-optimal’ custodial treatment.
The matter was adjourned until February 2.
Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.
Earlier this month Singh was diagnosed with a ‘major depressive episode’ and as suicidal, with the matter adjourned until February next year
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