The Rouse Avenue Court on Saturday sentenced Bihar BJP MLA Raju Singh to four years in jail in connection with a 2018 case of celebratory firing in which once Dr Archana Gupta was killed. By default, Singh has also ceased to be an MLA in accordance with the Representation of the People’s Act.
The court sentenced Singh, BJP MLA from Sahibganj, to four years’ jail under sections 304 of IPC and Arms Act. He has also been ordered to pay a compensation of Rs 25 Lakh to the family of the victim.
Raju Singh has been an MLA several times since 2005. Before joining the BJP, he had been in LJP, JDU and VIP. He was also the tourism minister for a while.
The court observed that celebratory firing of arms had become a menace in the country and was the reason why Dr Gupta lost her life on the night intervening December 31, 2018 and January 1, 2019.
The complainants had underlined that the one charged with making laws had become the one to break them.
Under Section 8(3) of the Representation of People Act, any MLA or MP convicted of a crime carrying jail for two or more years is immediately and automatically disqualified to hold office and further contest elections.
The Supreme Court, in a landmark judgment, had laid down that the disqualification is immediate, without any grace period for sitting members to file an appeal before losing the seat.
The disqualified individual is barred from contesting elections for the duration of their prison sentence plus an additional six years following their release.