EX-MLA who shot at woman on New Year’s eve detained
VICTIM CRITICAL Police visit former Janata Dal (United) MLA Raju Singh’s farmhouse in Fatehpur Beri; recover rifles, 800 live bullets
NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police on Wednesday detained former Janata Dal (United) MLA Raju Singh — who allegedly shot at a woman in her head in celebratory firing at a south Delhi farmhouse during New Year’s eve festivities — and his bodyguard near Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh.
The police also recovered two rifles, one pistol and 792 live bullets from Singh’s farmhouse in Fatehpur Beri where the shooting happened. Police said the pistol is licenced and they were in the process of checking if the rifles had valid papers.
The woman is on life support and is critical.
Special commissioner of police (law and order) RP Upadhyay said Raju Singh and bodyguard Hari Singh were detained from Kushi Nagar.
“We are bringing them to Delhi. If need be, they will be placed under arrest,” Upadhyay said. A pistol was recovered from them, police said.
The special CP said the police in an early morning raid recovered two rifles and 800 live ammunition from the farmhouse owned by Singh’s mother.
On December 31 night, Singh, who was hosting a New Year’s party at the farmhouse where he lives with his two brothers, allegedly fired 2-3 gun shots amid the celebrations. One bullet hit 42-year-old Archana Gupta, an architect who lives in Gautam Nagar and was a guest at the party with her husband.
A police team that visited the farmhouse on Tuesday to question witnesses and recreate the crime scene said there were 60-70 guests at the party.
“Initial questioning revealed that at least 30 people, including Archana Gupta and her husband Vikas Gupta, were near the dance floor when the incident took place. They said both Raju Singh and his bodyguard Hari Singh were firing. While Hari had a rifle, Raju Singh was firing from his pistol,” said an officer privy to the probe. “The bullet that hit Gupta may have been fired from the pistol. But forensics experts are yet to confirm it. We are verifying facts with CCTV footage,” the officer said.
A wounded Gupta was rushed to Fortis Flt Lt Rajan Dhall Hospital in Vasant Kunj where she is under treatment.
“The patient was brought to the emergency at 00:18 am on January 1, 2019, by her attendant in an extremely critical condition. She was attended by doctors immediately and medical treatment administered as per protocol. Delhi police was informed and medico legal case was registered,” a hospital spokesperson said in statement on Wednesday
The patient continues to be in critical state and is on life support, the spokesperson said.
According to the police, the victim’s husband said in his complaint that they were in the farmhouse with friends for New Year celebrations.
“At about 12 am, two-three rounds were fired by Singh. Immediately, the man said he noticed his wife had collapsed. When he checked, he found her bleeding from her head,” the special commissioner said.
Police are checking if Singh’s family destroyed any evidence. Singh’s wife, a former Member of Legislative Council from Bihar, and his brothers were questioned on Wednesday. Police have booked Raju Singh for attempting a murder under IPC section 307 and under the Arms Act.
The Janata Dal (United) distanced itself from Singh. Sanjay Jha, national general secretary of JDU, said Raju Singh had left the party in 2014.
“He has no association with our party since then. After quitting JDU, he even fought election in 2015 from Sahebganj in Muzaffarpur against our party but lost,” Jha said.
Police said Raju Singh, who has five other police cases registered against him, lives at the farmhouse owned by his mother with his two brothers.