AHEAD of his trial, a man charged with murdering his wife (Sukhjeet Uppal) has died in custody.

On 22 January, Jai Singh Puni, 50, died in a hospital in Birmingham, BBC reported.

Sukhjeet Uppal was found stabbed at her home on Tangmere Road in Wolverhampton in September, and Puni was due to file a plea on Monday (7) for the murder.

According to the BBC, Birmingham Coroner's Court on Thursday (3) opened an inquiry into the death of Puni and found the reason for his death due to brain damage, multiple organ failure and cardiac arrest due to asphyxia.

A full inquiry into his death by the Prison and Probation Ombudsman to conclude in February 2023.

He was in custody since September after Uppal, 40, was found dead at the house they shared.