A Mohali court on Tuesday sentenced self-styled preacher Bajinder Singh to life imprisonment in a 2018 rape case, observing that Singh committed a heinous offence by misusing his position as a preacher.
Additional district and sessions judge Vikrant Kumar pronounced the verdict after Singh -- often referred to as the "Yeshu Yeshu prophet" -- was found guilty on March 28.
While Singh was convicted under Sections 376 (rape), 323 (punishment for voluntary causing hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC, the court acquitted five others, namely, Akhbar Bhatti, Rajesh Chaudhary, Jatinder Kumar, Sitar Ali and Sandeep Pehlwan..
As per Section 376 (2) (n) of the IPC, the convict would undergo rigorous imprisonment for life, which means imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life.
Singh has been sentenced to one-year imprisonment each under Sections 323 and 506 of the IPC, and all the sentences will run concurrently, the order said.
His counsel HS Dhanoa said they will challenge the punishment in the Punjab and Haryana high court.
Tight security arrangements were in place at the court complex before the verdict's pronouncement as Singh was brought under heavy security cover from Mansa Jail.
The case was registered on a complaint of a woman at Zirakpur police station in Mohali district in 2018.
The survivor's counsel, Anil Kumar Sagar, told reporters, "The court has pronounced an exemplary verdict as any lackadaisical approach in such cases instils confidence in the perpetrators who either assert their social position or act under the garb of religion to exploit the poor and the vulnerable."
The survivor welcomed the court verdict, saying she got justice after seven years. She also claimed that money was offered to her to enter into a compromise.
Sagar said Singh pleaded for mercy from the court, saying his three children were young and his wife suffered from a medical condition.
He also said he was the sole breadwinner in the family and hence a lenient view be taken in the case.
After considering the request and the contentions, the court said it was of the view that the convict was having dominance over the prosecutrix and by misusing his position as a preacher, he committed a heinous offence.
In her complaint, the survivor alleged that Singh lured her by promising to take her abroad but raped her at his house in Sector 63, Mohali, aside from filming the act, which he threatened to make viral if she didn't agree to his demands.
Singh was arrested at the Delhi airport while attempting to fly to London in 2018. Later, he got bail in the case.
On March 3, the Mohali court issued a non-bailable warrant against Singh in connection with the 2018 rape case.
The court noted that determination and awarding of adequate sentence commensurate with the gravity of the offence was a judicial obligation.
"Sexual violence, apart from being a dehumanising act, is an unlawful intrusion on the right of privacy and sanctity of a female. It is a serious blow to her supreme honour and offends her self-esteem and dignity."
"A rapist not only causes physical injuries, but more indelibly leaves a scar on the most cherished possession of a girl, ie, her dignity, honour, reputation and not the least her chastity. In these circumstances, every perpetrator of rape should be punished expeditiously, severally and strictly," the order said.
Keeping in view the gravity of the offence, for which the convict has been convicted by the court, he does not deserve leniency, it added.
Singh is not new to controversies. He was booked in another sexual harassment case on February 28, based on a complaint lodged by a 22-year-old woman.
The police had booked him under Sections 354 A (sexual harassment), 354 D (stalking) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC.
The Kapurthala police also formed a three-member special investigation team to probe charges of sexual harassment against the self-styled preacher.
On March 25, Mohali Police booked Singh for assault and other charges based on a complaint lodged by a woman, days after a video went viral on social media purportedly showing Singh slapping the woman.
In the video, which appeared to be CCTV camera footage from a room reportedly dated February 14, Singh was seen arguing and throwing a bunch of papers at the woman before slapping her.
The self-styled preacher runs a church -- The Church of Glory and Wisdom -- at Tajpur in Jalandhar, which has a branch at Majri in Mohali.
A Jat from Haryana, Singh converted to Christianity more than a decade ago. His supporters claim that his church has many branches in India and abroad.
The self-styled preacher held religious congregations where a large number of people came hoping to cure their ailments.
These congregations were broadcast live on the YouTube channel 'Prophet Bajinder Singh' with a 3.74 million-strong subscriber base.
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