Chandigarh: A Mohali court on Tuesday awarded life imprisonment to self-declared Christian pastor Bajinder Singh in a 2018 rape case. Additional District and Sessions Judge Vikrant Kumar found the 42-year-old guilty under Sections 376 (rape), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The case originated in 2018 when a woman had alleged that Bajinder had sexually assaulted her at his house in Sector 63, Mohali. The complainant had alleged that Bajinder had promised to help her move abroad but instead had taken her to his house, where he raped her and filmed the act. She also claimed that he threatened to post the video on social media if she complied with his wishes. An FIR was lodged after the complaint by the victim, and Bajinder was arrested at Delhi airport in 2018. He was, however, released on bail later.
Bajinder was arrested after being convicted on Friday and was sent to Patiala jail.
His legal issues have only mounted in recent months. In January 2024, he was arrested in another case for allegedly beating up a woman and criminally intimidating her in Mohali. Recently, a video of him beating up another person went viral
Bajinder Singh, who has been holding prayer meetings for long and alleged to carry out miraculous healings, has also gained a large following. Multiple allegations and criminal charges against him have, however, mounted serious doubts regarding the abuse of religious power and exploitation in the name of faith.