Delhi High Court suspends BJP leader's prison sentence in celebratory firing case

The Delhi High Court has suspended the four-year prison sentence handed down to Raju Kumar Singh, a prominent leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Bihar. Singh was convicted in connection with a 2018 incident where a woman died during celebratory gunfire at his farmhouse in south Delhi.

Justice Manoj Jain's bench issued the order, noting that Singh's appeal against the conviction and sentence was unlikely to be heard in the near future. The suspension is conditional upon Singh providing personal and surety bonds totaling ₹50,000 and ensuring his mobile number remains operational with the investigating officer until the appeal's disposal.

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Keeping in mind, the overall facts of the case and the fact that there is no likelihood of appeal getting finally heard in near future, the sentence of the appellant, is, hereby suspended on his furnishing personal bond and surety bond in a sum of Rs. 25,000/- each with one surety of like amount, subject to the satisfaction of learned Trial Court/Chief Judicial Magistrate/Duty Judicial Magistrate First Class with the following conditions:- (a) Surety would be local. (b) The appellant /accused shall provide his mobile number to the investigating officer and shall keep the same operational all the time, till the disposal of the appeal.

Singh, a four-time Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) representing the Sahebganj constituency, was found guilty on June 6 of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, under the Indian Penal Code, and violations of the Arms Act. The conviction stemmed from celebratory firing at his farmhouse on New Year's Eve in 2018.

During the sentencing on July 4, the special judge criticized gun culture, stating that a state governed by the rule of law does not need figures like "Singham" or "Pushpa." The judge deemed the four-year sentence sufficient for reflection and deterrence against reckless firing during social events. Additionally, Singh was ordered to pay ₹25 lakh in compensation to the victim's family. The victim, Archana Gupta, was 45 years old.

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we need neither a Singham nor a Pushpa in a state governed by the rule of law