A Sydney solicitor accused of orchestrating underworld kidnappings and attempting to traffic significant quantities of drugs has been denied bail under recently enacted anti-gang legislation. Sylvan Singh faces multiple charges, including kidnapping for ransom, wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and directing a criminal group.
Singh, who has been in custody since August, had previously been granted bail on two separate charges but remained in remand on a third set. On Wednesday, Burwood Local Court Judge Ros Denes refused his latest bail application, citing amendments to the New South Wales Bail Act introduced by the Minns government earlier this year. The changes require courts to assess whether an offence was committed in the course of organised criminal activity, a provision Judge Denes described as crucial given the current challenges posed by criminal gangs in Sydney.
The allegations against Singh span several years. He was first arrested in September 2025, shortly after surviving a shooting incident in which gunmen opened fire on his vehicle. One of the passengers in Singh’s car at the time, Dawood Zakaria—aligned with the Alameddine crime clan—was fatally shot. Police believe the attack was targeted at another individual in the vehicle.
Following his initial arrest, Singh was charged with planning and directing violent acts using encrypted communication apps to mobilise associates. Police allege that Singh coordinated a kidnapping in November 2024, where a man was abducted from his car and held at a St Marys property, subjected to torture, and held for ransom. Singh was initially granted bail but was re-arrested in December 2025 on drug importation charges. Officials contend Singh and an associate attempted to smuggle 1.7 kilograms of cocaine and 14.6 kilograms of methamphetamine into Australia via international air cargo in 2022.
His most recent arrest in August followed the discovery of evidence linking him to two additional violent incidents earlier in 2025: a February kidnapping in Pemulwuy and a home invasion in Ermington. Since then, Singh has remained in custody, with Wednesday marking his third unsuccessful bid for bail in recent months.
Singh’s legal team submitted a psychological assessment reporting that he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from the earlier shooting incident. However, that report did not sway the court’s decision, as concerns over public safety and the serious nature of the charges took precedence. The case underscores ongoing efforts by law enforcement and the government to address organised criminal networks operating within the state.