A Delhi court has deferred its decision on the sentencing of Bihar BJP MLA Raju Kumar Singh, who was found guilty of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and Arms Act violation in connection with a woman’s death during celebratory firing at a New Year’s Eve party in Delhi in 2018. The court will announce the sentence on Saturday after reviewing submissions from both sides and the Probation Officer’s report.
During the hearing, the Probation Officer informed the court that Singh is also involved in a murder case in Bihar, where he has been granted bail by the Patna High Court. Singh’s defense team requested leniency, highlighting that despite facing multiple criminal cases, he has never been convicted before. They argued that most cases were politically motivated and that Singh’s disqualification from the legislature could occur if sentenced over two years.
The defense emphasized Singh’s long political career as a six-time MLA and urged the court to consider his family’s contributions to public service. They mentioned that Singh had no criminal record before 2009, and his wife served as an MLC while his father was a village head. The defense also pointed out that the deceased was related to Singh’s family and that his wife was present at the event where the incident occurred.
Expressing remorse over the tragedy, Singh’s defense team stated that the incident was a personal loss for the family. They highlighted that Singh had already spent two months in jail, did not interfere with the victim’s family during the trial, and requested a minimal sentence. The court had previously asked for a Probation Officer’s report before determining the sentencing.
