Sikh priests to stand trial on molestation accusation

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Sikh priests to stand trial on molestation accusation

Postby kinghsingh » Fri Aug 21, 2009 4:50 am

The following is out of Winnipeg Manitoba Canada.

http://www.winnipegsun.com/news/winnipe ... 1-sun.html
"
Sikh priests to stand trial on molestation accusation

By PAUL TURENNE, SUN MEDIA

Last Updated: 20th August 2009, 1:53am

Three Sikh priests accused of molesting a member of their Winnipeg temple when he was a boy will stand trial on their charges.

Provincial court Judge Michel Chartier ruled yesterday there is sufficient evidence to try Bakhshish Singh, Dalbag Singh and Kuljit Singh on charges related to the alleged abuse of a temple member for several years during the early 1990s.

Chartier made the ruling following a one-day preliminary hearing yesterday. The evidence given at the hearing is subject to a publication ban.

The men were arrested in December 2006 and their arrests came shortly after two of them were abducted at swordpoint by two men, including the man who accused them of the abuse.

That man was convicted last summer of unlawful confinement and assault causing bodily harm in connection with the abduction. He received a one-year suspended sentence.

Court heard during his case that he claimed to have been assaulted at least 100 times by the priests while he was a member of the Gurdwara Nanaksar temple in St. Vital.

All three priests have always maintained their innocence.

All three are charged with sex assault, invitation to sexual touching and sexual interference, while Dalbag and Kuljit Singh are also charged with engaging in a intercourse with a minor.

The trial date is expected to be set next month.

paul.turenne@sunmedia.ca"



Source WINNIPEG SUN, WINNIPEG MANITOBA CANADA


also

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/ ... 85912.html
Sikh priests face sex assault trial

THREE Sikh priests have been ordered to stand trial for allegedly sexually abusing a young boy for years in a bizarre case that has divided their community.

Bakhshish Singh, 49; Kuljit Singh, 45; and Dalbag Singh, 39, learned their fate following a preliminary hearing on Wednesday.

A judge ruled there is sufficient evidence to move the case forward.

A court-ordered ban prevents details of from being published.

Police began investigating in December 2006 after the three priests were kidnapped from Gurdwara Nanaksar, located on St. David Road in St. Vital.

A 26-year-old stormed inside the temple and confronted the trio for allegedly molesting him from the time he was eight years old until he was 15.

He was armed with a ceremonial sword, which he maintains he was carrying out of religious tradition, and not as a threatening weapon.

The man forced the priests into a vehicle and drove them to his parents' home, where he hoped to have them admit to the alleged sexual abuse while his mother and sister listened.

Police were called and eventually laid numerous charges against all of the parties.

The alleged sex assault victim pleaded guilty to his role last year and was given a suspended sentence and probation.

Crown attorney Melinda Murray said the disturbing case has shocked the Sikh community.

"It's clear to me there's been a division within the Sikh temple and the community.... There are sides being taken, a big discussion and it's become quite difficult for both sides," she told court.

Gurdwara Nanaksar is one of only 17 temples of its kind in the world. It's associated with a specific Sikh sect, Nanaksar Satsang Sabha.

There are about 300 members in Winnipeg. Priests at the temple are expected to be celibate, and from as young as age eight lead a monastic life of meditation and prayer.

Defence lawyer Kathy Bueti told court her client claims to have been sexually assaulted at least 100 times by the priests on an almost daily basis.

She asked the court to take his emotional state into account when sentencing the man for kidnapping.

"He dealt with that and didn't tell a soul. This was the first day he was going to tell another human being on earth what had happened," she said.

Provincial court Judge Catherine Carlson said while she noted the remorse shown by the man and his compliance with court orders since he was charged, she couldn't send a message condoning vigilante justice.

"The courts simply cannot sanction individuals, even individuals who themselves may be victims of horrendous crimes, taking the law in any way into their own hands and confronting their alleged perpetrators," Carlson said.

The three priests remain free on bail. The charges involved alleged incidents between 1990 and 1996.

No trial date has been set.



www.mikeoncrime.com


source Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg Manitoba Canada
kinghsingh
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Re: Sikh priests to stand trial on molestation accusation

Postby kinghsingh » Sat Aug 22, 2009 5:33 pm

Waheguru ji ka khalsa waheguru ji ki fateh
Brothers and sisters , it has come to light that sexual abuse of our sikh youth is a real problem across the world and finaly some one has spoken up about this great injustice.
Sangat Ji , please review this shocking news story out of Winnipeg,Canada. It involves 3 Nanaksar "Gianis" raping and molesting a youth for more than 5 years. The abuse took place in the Gurughar from the time the child was eight and lasted for five years. Since this story broke in the media, other Sikh youths have now come forward to police regarding sexual abuse they also faced in the Gurughar when they were children.This is truly kaljug when this type of beadbi is being committed in our Gurughars. These molesters need to be exposed in our community . Sexual abuse in our culture/religion is still seen as taboo, in these days of kaljug we need to educate our young Sikh youth with the doctrine that sexual abuse can not, and will not be tolerated. These heinous people that committed these evil acts will no longer be able to hide being a false veil of priesthood. They need to be exposed and excommunicated from the Sikh community as a whole.The only way to educate is the public is to inform the public!
Is the Sanjat so shocked that nobody has posted a comment to this story?
I know this sickens me to my core, thinking that people that we trust so much could have defiled one of our own youth. Waheguru has exposed these evil people, now us as the Sikh sangat need to address these problems. We should learn for our Catholic brothers and sisters that these problems can not be hidden from. Sooner or later they have to be dealt with. I think that the Sikh community needs to better educate our youth about sex and sexual misconduct.
Waheguru ji ka Khalsa Waheguru ji ki Fateh
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Re: Sikh priests to stand trial on molestation accusation

Postby admin » Tue Aug 25, 2009 2:02 am

I've been meaning to leave a comment for 2-3 days now. This is very bad, I really hope every Sikh denounce such acts and come forward to share abuses done elsewhere. I have never heard of any such abuse, but if this is happening, this needs to be stopped. Otherwise, just like Christians have people laughing at them for the abuses, we will similarly have people laughing at us (i.e. before we even become widely known for Sikh ideology, we'll be ridiculed for such nonsense.)

Just recently, I was reading about a "Granthi" who was reading Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji while watching x on his phone. After much anger in the community, the SGPC suspended him.

I just hope these two incidents are isolated.
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa!
Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!!!
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