Balraj Singh, of Queens, charged with kidnapping 19-year-old and holding her in Huntington motel

A Queens man was charged with kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment after he held a 19-year-old woman against her will at a Huntington motor inn, Nassau police said.

Beginning on June 15, Balraj Singh, 28, of Richmond Hill, made numerous verbal and electronic threats to the woman over the course of several days, making her fear for her life, police said.

Singh then demanded the 19-year-old meet him in Nassau County and enter his vehicle "to avoid repercussions," police said in a news release. 

When the woman complied and entered his car, Singh allegedly struck her in the face numerous times and drove away, police said. When the 19-year-old pleaded to be set free, Singh displayed a box cutter.

Singh drove to the Abbey Motor Inn on Jericho Turnpike in Huntington and refused to let her leave; the 19-year-old then called 911, police said.

Following an investigation, Suffolk police responded to the motel on Monday and arrested Singh without incident. They transported him to Nassau County for arraignment.

The investigation also revealed Singh had violated an existing order of protection against him.

Singh was arraigned on Tuesday at First District Court in Hempstead on charges of second-degree kidnapping, criminal contempt, first-degree unlawful imprisonment, second-degree aggravated harassment, second-degree menacing and second-degree harassment.

Police did not explain the relationship between Singh and the victim and could not immediately confirm the date of the alleged kidnapping.

Singh’s attorneys Gina Addamo and Nicholas Ramcharitar told Newsday their client maintains his innocence and that the 19-year-old falsified the story, as the hotel room was listed in her name and charged to her credit card, they said. After his arrest, she continued to see Singh, they said.

His attorneys told Newsday they have provided this evidence to the office of the Nassau County District Attorney.

“The public was given a sensational accusation but the evidence tells a very different story,” they said in a statement. “Mr. Singh and his family have already suffered devastating reputational harm here and abroad. The accusations made headlines. Now the facts will have their turn.”