Explained: Controversy Over "Yeshu Yeshu Prophet" Thrashing Woman Employee

Punjab's self-styled Christian pastor Bajinder Singh -- who was caught on camera beating a man and a woman -- kept his staff in check using force and dirty tricks, the woman has claimed in an interview to NDTV.  The woman, who agreed to speak to NDTV on condition of anonymity, used to work for Singh. She has quit her job after the thrashing episode. She has also filed a complaint against him with the police on the thrashing. 

"He has accused many of the staff of theft and got police cases filed against them. He gets young women to accuse men of misbehaviour and file police cases against them," she said.

In her case, Singh has alleged that she committed irregularities with the church funds and bought a car, her fourth.

WHO IS BAJINDER SINGH

Singh, who is based in Jalandhar, leads 'The Church of Glory and Wisdom' and calls himself "Prophet Bajinder". He became a Christian preacher in 2012, with his supporters claiming that his church has many branches in India and abroad.

The church holds congregations where a large number of people come in anticipation of curing their ailments. These congregations are broadcast live on the YouTube channel '"Prophet Bajinder Singh', which has 3.74 million subscribers.

WHAT THE WOMAN SAID

In an exclusive interview with NDTV, the woman denied this. She admitted her family has four cars, one of which, she said, was purchased by her son and one was an old car. Another, she said, was "gifted" by the pastor. Her newest vehicle, she said, `was bought on loan and she has been paying EMIs on it.

The pastor, she said, had targeted her over the man's sister failing to attend church, the woman told NDTV.

"It was her family that had the objection, but he blamed me and started beating me," she said.

A video footage of Singh's office last month shows him throwing objects and slapping the man and the woman. He is seen slapping the man, arguing with the woman and throwing a book at hr. When she confronts him, Singh slaps her.

Asked whether the pastor's allegation, that it was a doctored video, is correct, the woman denied it. 

Asked why the man, who was also seen being beaten up in the video, had not backed up her version of events, she said, "He is young. Can you imagine the kind of pressure he is under?"

BAJINDER SINGH's DEFENCE

The self-styled pastor has claimed that the woman ws responsible for massive financial irregularities, which could be to the tune of Rs 15 crore.

He also said the video was an instance of her maliciously targetting him on the eve of a verdict against him in a sexual harassment case.

CASES AGAINST BAJINDER SINGH

Singh has cases of sexual assault, cheating and manipulation against him. In 2017, he was accused of sexual harassment. He has also been raided by the Income Tax Department.

In 2018, he was arrested for allegedly raping a woman from Zirakpur, Punjab, after luring her with false promises of assistance to travel abroad.

He also faces an allegation of sexual harassment but was not arrested in the case lodged in March this year

His aides -- Jatinder, Akbar Ali, Sitar Ali, Sucha Singh, Rajesh Chaudhary and Sandeep Pehlwan -- have also been named in the FIR registered under IPC Sections 376 (rape), 420 (cheating), 354 (outraging modesty of woman), 294 (obscenity), 323 (causing hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation) and Section 67 (transmitting sexually explicit content) of the Information Technology (IT) Act at Zirakpur police station.

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