Ludhiana: Dera head held for rape

City Jagraon station-house officer (SHO) inspector Amritpal Singh said police registered a case and nabbed the accused

The City Jagraon police arrested the head of a religious dera for allegedly raping a woman on the pretext of marriage, officials said. The woman alleged that as she started pursuing a case against him, the accused, Baljinder Singh, offered ₹10 lakh for withdrawing the case.

The accused, Baljinder Singh, is the head of Gurdwara Thath Charan Ghat at Raikot Road, Ludhiana. (HT Photo)

Baljinder Singh is the head of Gurdwara Thath Charan Ghat at Raikot Road.

The complainant said she came in contact with the accused through a relative and started going to the dera to pay obeisance.

The woman alleged the accused raped her in the dera and promised to marry her as she resisted. According to the woman, the accused established physical relations with her in dera and in hotel rooms multiple times on the pretext of marriage. He later refused to marry her.

The woman alleged that the accused started threatening her when she started pursuing a complaint against him.

City Jagraon station-house officer (SHO) inspector Amritpal Singh said police registered a case and nabbed the accused.