The High Court has heard emotional testimony from the wife of Gurjit Singh, who was found dead on the lawn of his Dunedin home in January last year after being stabbed more than 40 times. A 35-year-old man known as Rajinder is on trial for Singh’s murder, a charge he denies.
According to a report by 1News, Rajinder’s defence maintains he had no reason to harm Singh and that no animosity existed between the two. But the court on Tuesday heard complex accounts of rejected marriage proposals, family tensions and employment ties that linked the men long before Singh’s death.
Widow Says She Rejected Rajinder’s Marriage Profile
Speaking through a translator, Singh’s wife, Kamaljeet Kaur, told the court she first encountered Rajinder through a marriage bureau in India around 2022. She said she rejected his profile because she was already speaking with Singh at the time.
“I was not interested,” she said, adding that her parents also declined the proposal. She told the court she informed Singh about it the same day, as reported by 1News.
Kaur and Singh met online in 2021 and married in India in May 2023. They were awaiting her partner visa, planning for her to join him in New Zealand in 2024. But just as Kaur was preparing to leave India, she learned her husband had been killed.
Family Ties and Job Offers
Kaur testified that her sister eventually married one of Rajinder’s relatives, further connecting the families. She also recalled overhearing a speakerphone conversation suggesting Rajinder’s sister wanted her brother to marry Singh’s sister, but Singh declined, saying she was too young, 1News reported.
Before his death, Singh had moved to Dunedin after accepting a job offer from Rajinder and initially worked under him. Kaur said Singh later became independent and found success in his work.
She last heard from her husband the night before he was killed, receiving a photo of him driving home from a pizza party. When he did not contact her the next morning, which was highly unusual, she became worried. After her calls went unanswered, she asked a friend, Tarsem Singh, to check on him. A mutual friend found him dead shortly afterwards, 1News reported.
Defence Questions, Motive and Marriage Negotiations
Under questioning by defence lawyer Anne Stevens KC, Kaur acknowledged that it was normal for matchmaking profiles to circulate and that she had rejected other proposals as well. She said she had never met Rajinder and was unaware of any tension arising from her refusal.
She also agreed that “proposal” could refer to early matchmaker negotiations rather than a formal marriage request, reported 1News.
Kaur said Singh accepted Rajinder’s job offer because it would help his residency prospects, adding he never mentioned any conflict with Rajinder.
Rajinder’s Sister Gives a Conflicting Account
Rajinder’s sister, Harmeet Kaur, offered a different version of events. She claimed it was Kamaljeet Kaur’s family who had twice sought a match with Rajinder, proposals her own family rejected.
She said a marriage broker later pushed them to reconsider Kaur as a potential match, but Rajinder was not interested. A video call with Kaur’s family was planned, but according to Harmeet, the woman’s family backed out because she had recently secured a good job in India, according to a report by 1News.
Harmeet added that Rajinder once asked Singh whether his sister would marry him, but Singh refused because she was too young and planned to study abroad. She also testified that a mutual friend told her Singh had upset her by claiming he was going to Australia, only to travel to India and get married instead.
Neighbours Testify to Late-Night Noises, Suspicious Activity
Residents living near Singh’s home also gave evidence.
Hilary Street resident Alan Richardson said he heard breaking glass around 10.50 pm on the night before Singh’s body was discovered. He initially thought someone had struck a recycling bin and later heard what sounded like someone cleaning up the mess as a vehicle drove away, 1News reported
Another neighbour, Taylor Wyllie, recalled calling the police days before the killing after seeing a suspicious man staring into Singh’s house. Wyllie said the man had a rough beard and wavy hair and appeared “intent” on the property.
The Trial Continues
The prosecution is expected to continue calling witnesses this week as the court examines the relationships, events and possible motives surrounding Singh’s violent death. Rajinder maintains his innocence.
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