Who is Pastor Bajinder Singh from Punjab's Jalandhar? From conversions to conviction

NEW DELHI: A Punjab court on Tuesday sentenced self-proclaimed Christian preacher Bajinder Singh and head of the Church of Glory and Wisdom in Jalandhar to life imprisonment in a 2018 rape case.
The verdict was delivered by additional district and sessions judge (ADSJ) Vikrant Kumar in Mohali, days after convicting Singh of sexually assaulting a woman from Zirakpur.
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The court found Singh guilty under IPC sections 376 (rape), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), and 506 (criminal intimidation). Following the sentencing, he was immediately taken into custody and transferred to Patiala Jail.
While Singh was convicted, the court acquitted five co-accused—Akbar Bhatti, Rajesh Chaudhary, Jatinder Kumar, Sitar Ali, and Sandeep alias Pehlwan—citing a lack of evidence. Another accused, Sucha Singh, passed away during the trial.
Despite his conviction, many of Singh’s followers gathered outside the court complex, though police prevented them from entering.

Born into a Hindu Jatt family, Bajinder Singh had a controversial past. He was previously involved in a murder case in the 2000s, during which he was incarcerated. It was during his time in jail that he converted to Christianity, setting the foundation for his journey as a preacher.
Watch: Viral video shows self-styled Prophet Bajinder Singh assaulting woman in office
Over the years, Singh built a significant following on social media, with his sermons frequently appearing on YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels.

His influence extended beyond religious circles, earning him endorsements from celebrities like Chunky Pandey and Aditya Pancholi.

The rape case against Singh dates back to 2017 when the complainant alleged that she first met him at a roadside eatery. Over time, Singh convinced her to attend his prayer meetings, gained personal details about her, and manipulated her into following his instructions.
According to the FIR, the complainant and her family had been attending Singh’s congregation since 2017. In 2020, she joined his worship team, allowing him to become familiar with her. She alleged that he took her phone number and started sending inappropriate messages. Fearing him, she refrained from informing her parents.
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In 2022, she claimed that Singh began making her sit alone in his cabin on Sundays, where he would forcibly hug her and touch her inappropriately. She further accused him of persistently pressuring her to marry him, despite being already married.
"He started chasing me in his car when I would go to college and threatened to have my parents and brother killed if I refused," she alleged. The harassment allegedly caused her severe distress, leading to panic attacks.

Two days after the FIR was registered against him, Singh publicly denied the accusations, claiming that a fellow pastor, envious of his influence, had conspired against him.

Addressing his congregation, Singh alleged that the complainant had been suffering from "evil spirit-induced fits" and had been brought to him for healing. He also claimed that she had disputes with a volunteer and that he was being unfairly implicated in the matter.
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"Even more people have turned up today, and that shows you don't believe whatever is being said about me," he told his followers, insisting there was no concrete proof against him.
In an emotional appeal, Singh brought his three children—two daughters and a son—on stage, stating, "I also have small kids. All this is being done not just to harm me but to stop Jesus’s work." His children addressed the congregation, asserting that the accusations against their father were false and that "God will take care of everything."

Singh has not been without controversy in the past. In 2018, the Diocese of Jalandhar officially severed ties with the Church of Glory and Wisdom, distancing itself from him. Despite this, he continued to build his congregation and expand his online presence, gaining a loyal following.