A court in Mohali has given life imprisonment to so-called preacher Pastor Bajinder Singh for a 2018 rape case. The 42-year-old “Yeshu Yeshu prophet” was found guilty under Sections 376 (rape), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC. He is, at present, incarcerated in Patiala jail.
Legal Action Initiated by Victim’s Complaint
The case against Singh was registered in 2018 at the Zirakpur police station following a woman’s complaint. She alleged that Singh lured her with promises of taking her abroad and raped her at his residence in Mohali’s Sector 63. The complainant also stated that he recorded the assault and later threatened to share the video on social media if she refused to comply with his demands.
In addition to Singh, five other people—Akhbar Bhatti, Rajesh Chaudhary, Jatinder Kumar, Sitar Ali, and Sandeep Pehlwan—were accused in the case. But the court acquitted all five because there was insufficient evidence against them.
Previous Allegations and Recent Assault Case
Earlier this month, the Mohali Police charged Singh with assault after a video of him slapping a woman went viral. The CCTV footage, which was dated February 14, revealed him arguing, throwing papers, and slapping a woman in a room.
Bajinder Singh is also being investigated in another sexual harassment case, lodged on February 28 by a 22-year-old woman. She had accused him of sending unsolicited messages, calling her alone to his cabin, and making unwanted advances. To probe the allegations, the police have constituted a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Superintendent of Police Rupinder Kaur.
Rise as a Preacher and Online Presence
Singh started preaching in 2012 and rose to fame for his large congregations, where devotees search for miraculous healing. He has a church called The Church of Glory and Wisdom in Tajpur, Jalandhar, and another one in Mohali. His devotees say he has several branches in India and overseas.
On his YouTube channel, “Prophet Bajinder Singh,” which he has more than 3.74 million subscribers to, his live streams still draw huge crowds even with the legal complaints.