A Delhi court has handed a four-year prison term to Bihar BJP MLA Raju Kumar Singh for culpable homicide not amounting to murder in connection with a woman’s death during celebratory firing at a New Year’s Eve party in Delhi in 2018. Additionally, Singh received a two-month imprisonment under the Arms Act and was ordered to pay Rs 25 lakh as compensation to the victim’s family. The court stated that if Singh fails to pay the compensation, he will face an extra three months in jail.
The court ruled that all sentences for Singh would run consecutively, risking his Bihar Assembly seat under the Representation of the People Act due to the term exceeding two years unless the Delhi High Court intervenes. Earlier, the court reserved its sentence decision after hearing submissions from both sides and reviewing the Probation Officer’s report.
Singh, a six-time MLA, faced pleas for leniency from the defense, citing his clean record in previous criminal cases and his family’s public life background. The defense highlighted Singh’s remorse over the incident, emphasizing his wife’s presence during the tragedy and the personal loss suffered by the family. Singh had spent about two months in custody and refrained from influencing the victim’s family during the trial.
The court had convicted Singh last month under Section 304 Part II of the Indian Penal Code and Section 30 of the Arms Act for firing from a licensed pistol at a crowded event, leading to the victim’s death. The incident occurred during a New Year celebration at a farmhouse in Delhi’s Vasant Kunj area, resulting in the arrest of Singh and others by the Delhi Police. While Singh was found guilty, his wife and two other co-accused were acquitted due to insufficient evidence.
