Who is 'papa' Bajinder Singh? Punjab pastor behind viral 'Yeshu Yeshu' videos, named in sex harassment case

Bajinder Singh, a pastor in Punjab known for his viral "Yeshu Yeshu" videos, has been booked in a sexual harassment case in Jalandhar district.

According to the complaint, a woman alleged that she and her parents had been visiting the church since October 2017. Pastor Bajinder Singh reportedly took her mobile number and began sending messages. She claimed that she was afraid of him and could not confide in her parents.

From 2022 onward, Singh allegedly made her sit alone in a cabin at the church on Sundays, where he reportedly hugged and touched her inappropriately, according to the complainant's statement to the police.

A case has been registered against Singh under sections 354 A (sexual harassment), 354 D (stalking), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.

The 42-year-old self-professed miracle healer is yet to turn himself in.

Who is Bajinder Singh?

Singh was born in a Hindu Jat family in Haryana’s Yamunanagar. He converted to Christianity during his imprisonment in an alleged murder case nearly 15 years ago.

After his release in 2012, he became a preacher, delivering sermons in Mohali before establishing the Tajpur Church. According to a report in The Indian Express, Tajpur Church now has 23 branches in Punjab, with several more outside India, including in Canada, the UK, and Dubai.

Bajinder Singh, whose Instagram handle refers to him as 'Prophet Bajinder Singh', is also known as 'Papa' by his followers. He has a significant social media following, with his content frequently appearing in YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels. He often performs miracles on stage and shares them on his YouTube channel, which has 3.74 million subscribers.

Several clips show him singing 'Mera Yeshu Yeshu' at gatherings, where he claims to have healed people of ailments such as HIV and muteness through large-scale services. He has also received endorsements from several celebrities, including actors Jaya Prada, Arbaaz Khan, Tusshar Kapoor, Chunky Pandey and Aditya Pancholi.

Singh’s life has been marred by several controversies.

In 2018, he was booked in a rape case after a woman accused him of raping her at his house in Sector 63, Chandigarh, and recording the assault. He was arrested at Indira Gandhi International Airport while attempting to fly to London, though he was later released on bail. The case is still being heard in a Mohali court, which recently issued warrants against him, as reported by The Indian Express.

Additionally, in 2022, a family from Delhi accused him of taking money to treat their daughter, who later died of cancer.

In 2023, the Income Tax Department raided his church and seized several documents.

(With inputs from PTI)