Delhi: Former Bihar MLA Raju Singh arrested for ‘firing at woman’ during farmhouse party

As the clock struck 12, former Bihar MLA Raju Singh asked the DJ to play a song “about guns”. Soon after, he had allegedly shot at a woman, who is now critical.

The Delhi Police, with the help of their Uttar Pradesh counterparts, Wednesday arrested Singh from Gorakhpur for allegedly shooting at a 42-year-old woman at the New Year party in his south Delhi farmhouse on Monday night. His driver Hari Singh has also been arrested.

Special Commissioner of Police (law and order) R P Upadhyay said the accused are being brought to Delhi. “We have recovered two rifles, a pistol and 800 live cartridges from his farmhouse. He was the one who fired celebratory shots. One of the bullets hit the woman, Archana Gupta, in the head and left her critically injured,” he said.

During initial questioning, police came to know that Singh is fond of weapons and as the countdown to New Year began, he requested the DJ to play a Bollywood song “related to guns”.

“Singh was drunk when he allegedly took out the pistol to shoot in the air, while many in the gathering were dancing. He started firing from his pistol and his driver Hari Singh started firing from his rifle. Around 8-10 rounds were fired by both of them. Gupta was on the dance floor with her friends, and appears to have been hit by a stray bullet allegedly fired by Singh,” a senior police officer said.

The FIR was registered on a complaint by her husband, Vikas Gupta, who named the former MLA. “No one from the farmhouse called police, and Archana was taken to Fortis Hospital with a gunshot wound by Vikas and Raju’s elder brother. The vehicle in which Archana was taken to the hospital was driven by Hari Singh, who informed the former MLA about her critical condition and also told him that the hospital had called police,” the officer said.

Police have so far questioned around 35 people, including the domestic helps. “Minutes after Hari Singh called Raju, his wife and domestic helps allegedly washed the spot where Archana had fallen down after she was shot at. Raju then left with Hari Singh in his car, and took his pistol along with him,” the officer said.

During investigation, with the help of technical surveillance, police traced his location in Uttar Pradesh and shared the details with their UP counterparts, who apprehended him and handed over to a team of Delhi police Wednesday. “Raju claims the pistol is licensed and has an all-India permit, issued in Bihar,” police said.