New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has refused to suspend the conviction of Bihar BJP MLA Raju Kumar Singh in a 2018 celebratory firing case in which a woman died from a gunshot injury at a New Year’s Eve party in Delhi.
Justice Manoj Jain dismissed Singh’s plea seeking suspension of his conviction under Section 304 Part II of the IPC and Section 30 of the Arms Act, observing that such relief can be granted only in exceptional circumstances.
MLA Convicted in 2018 Celebratory Firing Case
Singh, who represents Sahebganj in Bihar, was sentenced to four years in prison for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and two months under the Arms Act. He was also directed to pay ₹25 lakh compensation to the deceased woman’s family.
The High Court had earlier suspended his sentence on July 27, 2026. Singh subsequently sought suspension of the conviction, arguing that it could lead to his disqualification as an elected legislator and affect his eligibility to contest future elections.
His counsel also argued that the conviction was based on alleged unwarranted presumptions and that certain material evidence, including forensic evidence, had not been properly considered.
Court Finds No Apparent Error Warranting Stay
The prosecution opposed the plea, arguing that suspension of conviction is an exceptional remedy and that the circumstances of the case did not justify such relief.
The High Court examined the record at a limited level and found no “apparent, palpable and manifest illegality” warranting suspension of the conviction.
The court noted that the record indicated Singh had used his pistol at the relevant time and that no other person was seen firing at the crucial moment. It also observed that whether the bullet struck the victim directly or after ricocheting did not materially alter the consequence of the firing attributed to Singh.
Woman Died After Gunshot at New Year’s Party
The case relates to the intervening night of December 31, 2018 and January 1, 2019, when a New Year’s Eve party was held at Rose Farm House in Delhi’s Mandi area.
According to the prosecution, Singh and his security guard, Hari Singh, were involved in celebratory firing. Singh allegedly fired several rounds from a .22-bore pistol.
Shortly afterwards, Archana Gupta was found unconscious on the dance floor and was taken to Fortis Hospital, Vasant Kunj, where she later died from a gunshot injury.
The Rouse Avenue Court convicted Singh on June 6 under Section 304 Part II of the IPC and Section 30 of the Arms Act.
The Delhi High Court dismissed the plea seeking suspension of the conviction while clarifying that its observations were tentative and would not affect the final hearing of Singh’s criminal appeal.