Celebratory firing: Ex-JDU MLA held; woman dies

A woman, who was wounded in celebratory firing during a New Year's Eve party at former Bihar MLA Raju Singh's farmhouse here, succumbed to injuries even as the ex-legislator and his driver were arrested on Thursday, police said.

A hospital source said Archana Gupta succumbed to injuries on Thursday. Police have now 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, police said.

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.

Upadhyay said the woman who was injured during the incident succumbed to injuries.

The former MLA's wife is also being questioned in connection with the case.

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.

A 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. The accused were taken to the hospital with adequate police staff.

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.

On Wednesday, the accused were detained in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur city.

Police had earlier seized two rifles and 800 bullets from Raju Singh's farmhouse in south Delhi's Vasant Kunj area.

In his complaint to police, Archana Gupta's husband had said that they were at the farmhouse 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 Delhi Police was 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.

His wife is a former member of the Bihar legislative council, they said.

Raju Singh contested the 2015 Assembly election in Bihar on a BJP ticket.

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