Schodack man acquitted in rape case

TROY — On Monday, it took a Rensselaer County jury 25-minutes to acquit a 53-year-old Schodack man of third-degree rape charges stemming from a December 2016 arrest.

Bhupinder Singh, the owner of Pit Stop 66 beverage center in Hudson, claimed he was not guilty when arrested by State Police and released on $25,000 bail in Town of Schodack Court.

“I lost business, money, and respect in my community without reason,” Singh told the Times Union.

A State Police press release sent to members of the media on Dec. 14, 2016, said that Singh was arrested for “engaging in sexual intercourse with another person who was incapable of consent by reason of being physically helpless at such time when the crime occurred.”

“It was so clear he was wrongfully charged,” Singh’s attorney, Michael McDermott told the Times Union.

Singh went on to tell the newspaper that he informed the state Lottery in Schenectady of his innocence and was told that his license, which was suspended after his arrest, will be reinstated.