After pastor Bajinder Singh’s sentencing, rape survivor faints outside courtroom, later calls him a ‘fraud’

MOHALI: Evangelical Christian pastor Bajinder Singh, founder of Rhema Assembly Church in Punjab, was sentenced Tuesday to rigorous imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life along with a fine of Rs 1 lakh. A special court in Mohali announced the punishment after convicting the 42-year-old pastor on March 28 of raping a woman in 2018.Earlier, Singh had been involved in a murder case in the early 2000s, leading to his imprisonment. He converted from Hinduism to Christianity while in jail and later became a self-proclaimed preacher. He was arrested following the conviction in the rape case and transferred to Patiala jail.According to the woman’s testimony, she met him at a roadside eatery and later attended his prayer meetings.In Sept 2017, he called her to a restaurant in Zirakpur in Mohali district on the pretext of helping her travel abroad. He asked her to bring her pas- sport and then took her to his flat, where he drugged and raped her while recording a video. The woman testified that Singh, known as the ‘Yeshu Yeshu Prophet’ and ‘Papa-ji’, later blackmailed her using the video and extorted money.While pastor Bajinder Singh was found guilty, five other accused — Akbar Bhatti, Rajesh Chaudhary, Jatinder Kumar, Sitar Ali, and Sandeep, alias Pehlwan — were acquitted due to insufficient evidence. Another accused, Sucha Singh, died during the trial.Following the sentencing, the woman fainted outside the courtroom due to a panic attack. She regained consciousness within minutes and expressed satisfaction with the verdict, calling Singh a “fraud, bluff master, a cheater, and a hypocritical guru”.In her police statement, she recounted suffering from panic attacks and said Singh had convinced her he could heal her, only for her to face sexual exploitation instead.The verdict reinforced strict judicial action against sexual crimes: “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, & not the least, her chastity.”In case of non-payment of the fine, pastor Bajinder Singh will serve an additional six months in jail. He has also been 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, Singh pleaded for leniency, citing personal health issues and family responsibilities.Singh also said his wife suffered from a spinal condition and he had a rod implanted in his leg. However, the court responded that the severity of his crime warranted a strict sentence.Punjab Christian Movement chief Hamid Masih said many believe the case was “micro-managed” by forces seeking to curb rapid spread of Christianity in the state.Singh’s reach extended into politics as well. Pastors in Punjab have gained influence, with politicians visiting their congregations for blessings during elections. He had issued a pointed message to Punjab govt after his FIR was registered: “I request the CM that during elections you come to us, but now you are registering cases against such big pastors. In the next election, we shall show the govt.”This intersection of faith and politics took a more structured form in April 2023 when various Christian denominations came together to form United Punjab Party. it declared support for AAP in the Jalandhar bypolls.(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)