Former Sahebganj MLA and BJP leader Raju Kumar Singh, already convicted in the death of Dr. Archana Gupta, has challenged the trial court's verdict before the Delhi High Court. Hearing his plea, the High Court has issued a notice to Delhi Police and directed him to deposit Rs 25 lakh in compensation within two days. The matter will next be heard on July 23.
The case traces back to a 2018 celebratory firing incident
The dispute stems from a case of celebratory firing in Delhi in 2018, in which Dr. Archana Gupta lost her life. The case was being heard at Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court, where Raju Singh faced charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Trial court had handed down a four year sentence
The Rouse Avenue Court found Raju Singh guilty and sentenced him to four years in prison for culpable homicide. Before the sentence was pronounced, Singh had sought probation from the court, but his plea was not accepted. Following the conviction, questions were also raised over the BJP MLA's membership of the state assembly, after which he is now being referred to as a former MLA.
Plea in High Court seeks stay on conviction
In his petition before the Delhi High Court, Singh has sought suspension of the sentence and a stay on his conviction. The court, while seeking a response from Delhi Police, has for now ordered him to deposit the compensation amount. The case will be taken up again on July 23, when the next course of action will be decided.
