Pastor Bajinder Singh sentenced to life for rape: Survivor collapses outside court, later calls him a 'fraud'
A Mohali court sentenced evangelical pastor Bajinder Singh to life imprisonment for raping a woman in 2018. The verdict sparked religious and political debates, with Singh’s influence extending into Punjab’s electoral landscape. The court rejected his plea for leniency.
A special court in Mohali on Tuesday sentenced evangelical Christian pastor Bajinder Singh, founder of Rhema Assembly Church in Punjab, to rigorous imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life. Along with the life sentence, he was fined Rs 1 lakh, with an additional six-month jail term if he fails to pay.
The 42-year-old preacher was convicted on March 28 for raping a woman in 2018.
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Singh, who had previously been imprisoned in a murder case in the early 2000s, converted from Hinduism to Christianity while in jail and later emerged as a self-proclaimed religious leader. Following his conviction, he was arrested and transferred to Patiala jail.
Also read: 'Yeshu Yeshu' pastor Bajinder Singh sentenced to life imprisonment in 2018 Zirakpur rape case
According to the woman’s testimony, she first met Singh at a roadside eatery and later attended his prayer meetings. In September 2017, he called her to a restaurant in Zirakpur under the pretext of assisting her in traveling abroad. Asking her to bring her passport, he took her to his flat, where he drugged, raped, and filmed her. The woman testified that Singh, known as the ‘Yeshu Yeshu Prophet’ and ‘Papa-ji,’ later blackmailed her with the video and extorted money.
While Singh was found guilty, five other accused—Akbar Bhatti, Rajesh Chaudhary, Jatinder Kumar, Sitar Ali, and Sandeep alias Pehlwan—were acquitted due to a lack of evidence. Another accused, Sucha Singh, passed away during the trial.
The victim, who fainted outside the courtroom after the sentencing, regained consciousness and expressed satisfaction with the verdict, calling Singh a “fraud, bluff master, cheater, and hypocritical guru.” In her police statement, she described suffering from panic attacks and alleged that Singh had manipulated her under the guise of spiritual healing.
The court, in its ruling, reinforced strict judicial action against sexual crimes, stating: “A rapist not only causes physical injuries but more indelibly leaves a scar on the most cherished possession of a girl, i.e. her dignity, honour, reputation, and not the least, her chastity.”
In addition to his life sentence, Singh was also sentenced to one year of rigorous imprisonment each under IPC Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation), with all sentences running concurrently. During sentencing, he pleaded for leniency, citing his health issues and family responsibilities. He stated that his wife suffered from a spinal condition and that he had a rod implanted in his leg. However, the court ruled that the severity of his crime justified the harsh punishment.
The case has also stirred political and religious discourse. Hamid Masih, chief of the Punjab Christian Movement, claimed that many believe the case was “micro-managed” to curb the rapid spread of Christianity in the state. Singh’s influence extended beyond religion into politics, as pastors in Punjab have gained traction, with politicians often seeking their blessings during elections.
Following his FIR, Singh had issued a veiled threat to the Punjab government: “During elections, you come to us, but now you are registering cases against such big pastors. In the next election, we shall show the government.” This intersection of faith and politics took a more structured form in April 2023 when various Christian denominations united to form the United Punjab Party, which later declared its support for AAP in the Jalandhar bypolls.
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