Former Bihar MLA Raju Singh, his wife who was also a lawmaker in Bihar and two others have been arrested by the Delhi Police in connection with a celebratory firing incident during a New Year’s Eve party his farmhouse here, in which a woman was killed.
The former MLA and his driver Hari Singh, who had fled Delhi after the incident, were formally arrested after Archana Gupta was hit by the bullet allegedly fired by the ex MLA, succumbed to her injuries in a city hospital.
The police have added IPC Section 302, which pertains to punishment for murder, and punishable with a maximum term of life imprisonment or death sentence.
Earlier, Raju Singh and his driver were detained from Kushi Nagar in Uttar Pradesh a day before. Raju Singh’s wife Renu Singh and Raminder Singh, who worked for the leader, were arrested for allegedly destroying evidence, police said. Renu Singh is a former member of the Bihar legislative council.
“The former MLA’s wife and their close aide Raminder on Thursday were also arrested by police for tampering and destructing evidence. Raminder had also threatened the people who were at party for dire consequences if they said something,” said Vijay Kumar, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), South district.
Earlier on Thursday, Raju Singh and Hari Singh were taken to AIIMS for medical examination before their production in the court. “Forensic test was also done on the accused to ascertain who fired the shots,” said the DCP.
Whereas the sources claimed that Raju had met victim’s family while autopsy of the deceased was being conducted in the AIIMS mortuary on Thursday.
Denying any such thing DCP said that the mortuary is also situated in the same building. “The accused were taken to the hospital with adequate police staff and No where they were allowed to meet with victim’s family there,” said the DCP.
On Tuesday a police team that visited the farmhouse recreated the crime scene and said that there were around 60-70 guest at the party at his Farm house.
An officer privy to investigations said that around 30 people, including Archana Gupta and her husband Vikas Gupta, were near the dance floor when the incident took place.
“Initial probe suggest that both Raju Singh and his bodyguard Hari Singh were firing. Around 5-7 shots were fired. While Hari had a rifle, Raju Singh was firing from his pistol. The .22mm bullet that hit Gupta has been fired from the pistol recovered from the car in which Singh had fled. Forensic team has also recovered two empty shells of .22 mm bullets,” said the DCP.
“A case was registered on the basis of complaint filed by Archana husband Vikas Gupta. They were invited by Sanjeev Singh, who is elder brother of Raju Singh, to the party. Vikas Gupta, husband of the victim told police that he was once Sanjeev Singh’s partner in a now defunct pharmaceutical company.
Gupta now own a realty business in Gautam Nagar and had retained their contact with Sanjeev.
Statements of few witnesses were also recorded who had come to party for arrangements,” said the DCP.
“Police had earlier seized two rifles and 800 bullets from Singh’s farm house. License of all weapon recovered is yet to be ascertained. Further investigation is going on,” said the DCP.
Raju Singh is a former Janata Dal (United) member who quit the party earlier.
He is also a real-estate businessman from Muzaffarpur and is considered to be influential.
In Bihar, he is already facing five cases including two under the Arms Act and another of an attempt to murder.