Indian-origin bar owner convicted in Singapore for raping 17-year-old runaway girl | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: A Bar owner of Indian descent was sentenced to prison on Monday for raping a runaway child 17 year old girl after he allowed 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 convicted of one count of rape and molestation of victim and pleaded guilty to a third charge of harboring a Walk away under the Children and Young People Act.
In February 2020, the victim, then 17, ran away from the Singapore Girls’ Home and heard about a vacancy at Bala’s Don Bar and Bistro in Dunlop Street, Little India. She was informed about the position by another runaway who was already working there, who had also been sexually abused by Bala, a charge that is currently pending.
The victim visited the bar for a job interview with Bala, who outlined her responsibilities, which included serving customers and making drinks. Bala offered her the job and said she could stay at the bar with other runaways. After working there for a few days, police received a tip about fugitives working there and raided the bar in the early morning 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 and told them they could stay there, before drinking alcohol with the girls. He raped the victim while she was heavily intoxicated and also performed sexual acts on the other girl.
The victim left the apartment and reported herself 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 noted that the victim blamed herself for her drunkenness, which she said led to the incident.
Her court Testimony, supported by her ex-boyfriend, highlighted how her past trauma continues to affect her well-being, the judge noted. Judge Chionh also noted that Bala was aware of the victim’s young age, her refugee status and her dependence on him for income and shelter.
Bala is facing additional charges and has yet to decide how to handle them. According to The Straits Times, the bar owner has 22 other charges pending in court relating to sex offences involving five other victims.
He is accused of raping and sexually assaulting a victim, identified in court documents as B1, a victim, identified as B5, and another victim, identified as B6, and of threatening to rape and abuse him.
He is also accused of sexually penetrating a minor under the age of 16, identified as B7, and harassing and distressing another victim, identified as B8.