Self-proclaimed Punjab Pastor Bajinder Singh has been sentenced to life imprisonment. A Mohali court has convicted Singh in the 2018 case against him which accused him of rape and sexual harassment.
Speaking to media after the conviction, Advocate Anil Sagar told news agency ANI - "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.
As per reports, the 42-year-old pastor, who was also known as a "Yeshu Yeshu prophet," was lodged in Patiala jail after he was convicted under Sections 376 (rape), 323 (punishment for voluntary causing hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.
The case against him was registered by a woman in 2018, who alleged that Singh had lured her by promising to take her abroad. The woman alleged that the pastor raped her at his residence and made a video of the incident as well.
Singh later used this video and threatened the woman that he will leak it on social media if she does not agree to his demands.
Along with Singh, five other accused in the case - Akhbar Bhatti, Rajesh Chaudhary, Jatinder Kumar, Sitar Ali and Sandeep Pehlwan, were acquitted.
Mohali Police initially booked the pastor for assault after a video of him slapping a woman went viral on social media.
