News Brief
Punjab: Mohali Court Sentences Self-Styled Pastor Bajinder Singh To Life Imprisonment For 2018 Sexual Assault
Pastor Bajinder Singh
The Mohali Court on Tuesday (1 April) sentenced self-styled Christian pastor Bajinder Singh to life imprisonment in connection with a 2018 sexual harassment case, ANI reported.
The victim, expressing relief, demanded stringent punishment. "I want at least 20 years of imprisonment to him. He knows the law very well and does all this crime willingly. I want women to come out and speak freely about him. They should not get scared anymore," she told ANI.
Advocate Anil Sagar, who represented the victim, hailed the verdict. "He was popular as a spiritual leader. His followers used to call him 'Papa ji'. When this kind of crime is committed by such a person, an exemplary punishment must be given. We are satisfied with the quantum of sentence, which is life imprisonment. He has to stay behind bars until his last breath..." he stated.
The case dates back to 2018, when the Punjab Police registered an FIR against Bajinder Singh based on a complaint filed by the survivor. She alleged that she was assaulted during a prayer session, where multiple individuals were subjected to physical abuse.
The survivor further stated that she resigned from the church after the incident and accused the pastor of threatening her. "The government should probe if the footage was real or AI-generated. I had gone there out of devotion..." she added.
Bajinder Singh, however, denied all allegations, claiming that the victim was suffering from an "evil spirit" and had come to him for prayer.
On Friday last week, the court dismissed his defence and decided to convict him.
