Celebratory firing: Ex-JD(U) MLA, wife, 2 others arrested; woman succumbs to injuries

New Delhi: The Delhi Police arrested former Bihar MLA Raju Singh, his wife and two others Thursday in connection with a celebratory firing incident during a New Year's Eve party at the ex-legislator's farmhouse here, in which a woman was killed.

The former MLA and his driver Hari Singh, who had fled Delhi after the incident, were arrested Thursday after being detained from Gorakhpur 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.

Raju Singh had unsuccessfully contested the 2015 Assembly election in Bihar on a BJP ticket. 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, to the FIR after Archana Gupta, who was hit by bullets, succumbed to injuries on Thursday.

A pistol and a rifle were seized from the car in which Raju Singh fled from the spot after the incident, Special Commissioner of Police, Law and Order (South), R P Upadhyay said.

"We have arrested Raju Singh and Hari Singh in connection with the incident. They will be produced in a city court later in the day. Police will seek their remand for seven days," he said.

During questioning, the former MLA's wife was evasive, sources said. After their arrest, Raju Singh and Hari Singh were taken to AIIMS for medical examination before their production in the court, Vijay Kumar, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South), said. Forensic test was also done on the accused to ascertain who fired the shots, police said.

The mortuary is also situated in the same building. Adequate security arrangements were made at the hospital when the accused were taken there. Reports claimed that the accused met the victim's family members. The police, however, said they were not allowed to meet the victim's family at the hospital.

The woman's post-mortem is currently underway at AIIMS, hospital sources said. Police had earlier seized two rifles and 800 bullets from Raju Singh's farm house in south Delhi's Vasant Kunj area. In his complaint to police, Archana Gupta's husband had said that they were at the farm house on Monday night to celebrate the New Year along with friends and around midnight, two-three rounds were fired by Raju Singh.

Immediately, he noticed that his wife had fallen down and was bleeding. The police were informed and a medicolegal case was registered, a hospital spokesperson said. Raju Singh was booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act, police said, adding that he has five other cases registered against him.

The farm house is owned by Raju Singh's mother where he lives with his family. Singh's two brothers also live with their families in the farm house, police added.