A self proclaimed pastor of Punjab, Bajinder Singh has been sentenced to life imprisonment for his involvement in the rape case in 2018 in Zirakpur. The Mohali court announced the verdict following his conviction for Sections 376 (rape), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code. The court sentenced last week, conviction Bajinder Singh along with other five accused, which included Jatinder, Akbar, Sattar Ali, and Sandeep Pehalwan.
Bajinder Singh has had other accusations made against him as well. In the past, Singh was accused of a conspiracy to murder along with multiple cases of sexual assault. All his other accused were acquitted.
Victim’s Reaction to the Verdict
After the sentencing, the victim ”strongly” commented at how Singh’s previous behavior can lead to different versions of the same scene. “He (Bajinder) is a psycho and will likely repeat his offense once released from prison,” she said. Before the trial, she wished that Singh had to serve a minimum of 20 years and celebrated: “So, I want him to remain incarcerated. A lot of girls (victims) have won today.” Victims did but have to remain cautious, “I request the DGP to ensure our security, as there is a possibility of retaliation against us.”
Advocate’s Statement on the Need for Exemplary Punishment
Advocate Anil Sagar, representing the victim, called for an exemplary punishment for Bajinder Singh. “Rape carries a sentence of 10 to 20 years based on the case’s circumstances. In this instance, I am asking for the highest punishment, as the accused exploited his position under the guise of religion to manipulate and abuse people. This case should serve as a warning to others, and I hope it encourages other victims of such crimes to come forward,” he said.
Details of the 2018 Case Against Pastor Bajinder
The case dates back to 2018 when a woman from Zirakpur accused Pastor Bajinder Singh of sexually assaulting her under the pretense of helping her with travel abroad. She alleged that Bajinder recorded an obscene video of her and threatened to post it on social media unless she complied with his demands. Bajinder was out on bail when the verdict was delivered. The victim had also stated earlier that she faced pressure to withdraw her statement.
Claiming a Protester’s Statement to be False
The followers of the self proclaimed godman have always contested the victim’s statement portraying Bajinder Singh’s image as that of an innocent man.
Pastor Bajinder Singh’s New Legal Dispute
In February, Pastor Bajinder Singh came under fire once more when police in Punjab filed an FIR in response to a complaint brought forth by Ranjeet Kaur, who claimed he had beaten her. Kaur alleged that she was verbally and physically abused after a prayer meeting when she said that she was beaten up. She claimed that the assault occurred after she tried to help calm down a person being assaulted at the meeting.
