Indian-origin bar owner convicted in Singapore of raping 17-year-old runaway | News from India

NEW DELHI: An Indian-origin bar owner was sentenced to jail on Monday for raping a 17-year-old runaway after allowing her to work for him. Raj Kumar Bala, 42, was sentenced to 13 years and four weeks in prison. According to Channel News Asia, Bala, 42, was found guilty on charges of rape and sexually assaulting the victim and pleaded guilty to a third charge of harbouring a runaway under the Children and Young Persons Act.

In February 2020, the victim, then 17, ran away from the Singapore Girls’ Home and learned of a job opening at Bala’s Don Bar and Bistro on Dunlop Street in Little India. She was informed of the job by another runaway who was already employed there and had also been sexually abused by Bala. A charge, currently on hold, is pending.

The victim visited the bar for an interview with Bala, who explained her duties, which included serving customers and preparing drinks. Bala offered her the job and mentioned that she could stay at the bar with other runaways. After she worked for a few days, the police received a tip-off about fugitives employed there and raided the bar in the early hours of February 22, 2020. The victim fled with another girl to evade the raid, but was later apprehended by Bala.

He drove them to his apartment complex and told them they could stay there before drinking alcohol with the girls. He raped the victim when she was heavily intoxicated and also had sexual acts with the other girl.

The victim left the housing complex and turned herself in to the Singapore Girls’ Home in July 2020. It was not until August 2020 that she told her social worker that she had been raped.

Judge Mavis Chionh acknowledged the “significant personal harm” suffered by the victim and found that the victim blamed himself for his drunkenness, which she said led to the incident.

Her testimony in court, supported by her ex-boyfriend, made clear how much her past trauma still affected her well-being, the judge noted. Judge Chionh also noted that Bala was aware of the victim’s young age, her status as a fugitive and her dependence on him for income and accommodation.

Bala still faces other charges and has not yet decided how he will address them. According to The Straits Times, the bar owner is facing 22 more charges of sexual offences against five other victims.

He is accused of raping and molesting a victim identified in court documents as B1, raping and sexually assaulting a victim identified as B5, and raping, molesting and threatening another victim identified as B6.

He is also accused of sexually penetrating a minor under the age of 16 (identified as B7) and harassing and terrifying another victim (identified as B8).