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Three Indian Americans arraigned for rape
Three NRIs identified as Piara Singh, 30, Baljit Singh, 22, and Bhupinder Singh, 43, were arrested and charged with rape and criminal confinement of a woman.
Three Indian Americans charged with rape and criminal confinement of a woman are scheduled to appear for a court hearing on Feb 26.
The three residents of Indiana, identified as Piara Singh, 30, Baljit Singh, 22, and Bhupinder Singh, 43, were arrested on Feb 9 and charged with rape and criminal confinement of a woman, an officer in the public information department of Mishawaka Police told IANS.
The three were produced before St. Joseph Superior Court Magistrate Brian Steinke on Feb 12, where they entered preliminary innocent pleas.
Among the accused Piara Singh and Baljit Singh face additional charges of criminal deviate conduct.
The three were released by the court after they posted a bond of $3,000 each. They are scheduled to return to court on Feb 26.
According to the charges, the victim flagged a taxi van late on Feb 8 and asked the two men inside if she could use a phone.
The men, identified as Piara Singh and Baljit Singh, took her to an apartment, called the third accused, and allegedly raped her.
According to the woman, she was taken to another apartment and managed to escape when one of the three who was guarding her passed out from drinking.
Meanwhile, the South Bend Tribune daily here quoted an interpreter for Piara Singh as saying her client did not speak English well enough to understand what he told the police during questioning. She said no interpreter was present at that time.
