'Yeshu Yeshu' Pastor Gets Life Imprisonment For Raping Woman
The victim has alleged that the pastor, Bajinder Singh, established non-consensual relations with her on the pretext of taking her abroad.
A Mohali court on Tuesday awarded life imprisonment to self-styled 'Yeshu Yeshu' pastor Bajinder Singh in the 2018 Zirakpur rape case. The victim has alleged that the pastor established non-consensual relations with her on the pretext of taking her abroad. He is also accused of making an obscene video of the complainant.
Singh was convicted last week and the punishment was announced today. An FIR was filed against Singh after the woman filed a complaint. The incident reportedly took place after a prayer session where the woman claimed that she, along with others, was mistreated and physically assaulted.
The victim's lawyer, Advocate Anil Sagar, said they are satisfied with the quantum of the sentence. "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," the lawyer added.
Singh has been convicted under Sections 376 (rape), 323 (punishment for voluntary causing hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code. He runs two churches -- The Church of Glory and Wisdom at Tajpur in Jalandhar and another in Mohali's Majri and calls himself "Prophet Bajinder".
Bajinder Singh Recent Controvercies
The pastor was booked on charges of sexual harassment based on the complaint of a 22-year-old woman on February 28.
Recently, a case was filed against Singh, popular for his 'Yeshu Yeshu' videos, after a viral video showed him slapping and throttling a woman at his office in Punjab's Mohali. The 35-year-old woman lodged a complaint with the office of the senior superintendent of police.
The video, which appeared to be a CCTV camera footage, purportedly showed Singh first arguing with the woman and throwing a bunch of papers at her before slapping her. The woman was sitting in his office with her child.
The pastor was booked under various sections of the BNS, including 74 (whoever assaults or uses criminal force to any woman), 115 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 126 (wrongful restraint),
In 2022, a Delhi family alleged that Singh had assured them that he would treat their daughter's illness and taken money from them. Their daughter died later.
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