Court sentences Christian pastor to life in prison for raping woman, recording it as blackmail
An Indian court sentenced a controversial Evangelical Christian pastor, Bajinder Singh, to life imprisonment for raping a woman in the northern state of Punjab in 2018. Singh was found guilty of drugging and assaulting the woman, then recording the act to blackmail her.
The special court in Mohali last week announced Singh’s rigorous imprisonment for the remainder of his life and imposed a fine of Rs 100,000 (roughly $1,200), the BBC reported.
The woman testified that Singh initially promised to help her travel abroad, instructing her to meet him at a restaurant in Zirakpur area in September 2017. After taking her passport, Singh took the woman to his flat, where he drugged and sexually assaulted her, simultaneously filming the act. He later used the recorded video to blackmail her, extorting money.
Following the sentencing, the victim experienced a panic attack and fainted outside the courtroom but quickly recovered, according to the Times of India. She described Singh as a “fraud, bluff master, a cheater, and a hypocritical guru.”
What guru isn't hypocritical?
In her earlier statement to police, the victim recounted initially attending Singh’s prayer meetings after encountering him at a roadside eatery, believing he could heal her panic attacks. Instead, she became a victim of sexual exploitation.
Singh gained widespread recognition through his preaching and miracle healings. His Rhema Assembly Church, also known as the Church of Glory and Wisdom, became one of Punjab’s largest private churches, attracting millions of followers, including celebrities from Bollywood.
Singh’s preaching sessions, often marked by dramatic healings, significantly boosted his popularity, resulting in over 3 million subscribers on YouTube.
His website claims global outreach with branches in countries such as the U.S., U.K., and Canada. The preacher, frequently appearing in tailored suits, often promised followers wealth and miraculous cures during his sermons.
During sentencing, Singh requested leniency due to his health and family conditions, citing his wife’s spinal condition and his own physical ailments. The court, however, determined that the seriousness of his crimes justified a stringent sentence.
Apparently, God's healings didn't touch him or his wife. This also means Singh was an adulterer.
Singh’s lawyers are expected to appeal the decision in the high court.
His past includes imprisonment related to a murder case in the early 2000s, during which time he converted from Hinduism to Christianity. On his website, Singh claims his criminal past resulted from “evil forces,” which changed after someone gave him a Bible during his incarceration.
Singh is reportedly accused of sexual assault by at least two other women.
In February, a former disciple accused him of assault, prompting a police investigation. Shortly thereafter, a third accusation emerged regarding an assault after a prayer session. Singh has denied both allegations.
Singh has accused rivals of orchestrating negative publicity to tarnish his reputation.
Punjab Christian Movement leader Hamid Masih described Singh’s case as possibly influenced by efforts to curb Christianity’s growing popularity in Punjab.
Behind the rise of megachurches and independent pastors in Punjab is the state’s history of cult-like followings, such as Dera Sacha Sauda — rooted in Sikh and Hindu influences — with over a million followers, and a prevalent prosperity or security gospel among Christians.
However, Christianity is rapidly growing in Punjab, partly driven by widespread caste discrimination against Dalits, which has infused a sense of rebellion in significant sections of Punjabi society. The state is also grappling with lingering trauma from India’s violent suppression of the Khalistan separatist movement, linked to events like former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination.
Further, drug abuse and alcoholism remain serious issues in the state. Furthermore, Sikhism, Punjab’s majority religion, focuses on philosophical teachings and doctrine, distinctly avoiding idol worship, unlike Hinduism.
Peter Cotton tried to raise the alarm about an abusive priest — he's worried the church hasn't learnt from it
In short:
Peter Cotton was sexually abused by Christian Brother teacher Daniel McMahon at Aquinas College in Perth in the 1960s.
When he found out many years later McMahon had moved to Tasmania to become a priest, he made a complaint to the Archdiocese of Hobart.
What's next?
Mr Cotton is worried the Tasmanian church has not learnt from the situation and warns, "if they're not prepared to look into it seriously and make some admissions, they run the risk of this all happening again".
Please continue reading ABC Australia for the lengthy story:
South Carolina Pastor Wanted In Chambersburg Child Sex Assault: Affidavit
A South Carolina pastor is accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl during a church trip to Pennsylvania and trying to buy her silence with $100, according to the Pennsylvania State Police.
William Franklin Galbreath, 57, of Salem, South Carolina, has been charged with felony aggravated indecent assault without consent, felony corruption of minors, misdemeanor indecent assault without consent, and misdemeanor endangering the welfare of children, authorities explained.
The alleged abuse occurred on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, at a home on Hammond Drive in Chambersburg where Galbreath and the victim’s family were staying for a church event, troopers said.
The investigation began on March 13, 2025, when the victim’s father contacted state police, reporting that his daughter had been sexually assaulted by Galbreath during the trip. During an interview on April 2, 2025, the victim disclosed that while getting ready for church, Galbreath called her over, hugged her, rubbed her buttocks, and called her "pretty," according to police.
Troopers say Galbreath then sexually assaulted the victim, attempted to relocate her to a garage to avoid being seen, and later gave her $100 to "keep quiet."
The victim returned to South Carolina after the trip, where she later disclosed further instances of abuse involving Galbreath, both in Pennsylvania and South Carolina.
Separately, Galbreath was arrested in South Carolina on Thursday, April 3, 2025, by the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office in connection with a broader criminal sexual conduct investigation.
According to a release, Galbreath was booked into the Oconee County Detention Center at around 1:10 p.m. and charged with 12 counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct — Second Degree, five counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct with a Minor — Second Degree, and two counts of Assault and Battery — Second Degree.
The investigation began on January 20, 2025, after a tip from a Tennessee law enforcement officer alerted a Violent Crimes Investigator in Oconee County about allegations of sexual assault against a minor by Galbreath. Investigators also learned about a second minor victim.
Evidence revealed Galbreath had inappropriately touched and sexually assaulted one of the victims beginning in 2019 when she was a child, and continuing during her teenage years from 2022 through 2025. The second victim was allegedly sexually assaulted in 2024 and 2025.
Galbreath remains in jail in South Carolina pending extradition to Pennsylvania. The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office said its investigation remains ongoing and that no information identifying the victims would be released in order to preserve the integrity of the case.
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