Bihar BJP MLA Raju Singh gets 4-year jail term, faces seat disqualification
Synopsis
A sitting BJP MLA who won the 2025 Bihar Assembly election now faces automatic disqualification after a Delhi court sentenced him to four years for a 2018 New Year's Eve shooting that killed an architect. The Sahebganj seat could fall vacant — and the outcome of any appeal will be the deciding factor.
Key Takeaways
Raju Singh , BJP MLA from Sahebganj , sentenced to four years' imprisonment by Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court on 4 July .
Convicted of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and Arms Act offences; his wife and two co-accused were acquitted .
The incident: celebratory firing on 31 December 2018 killed architect Archana Gupta , who died on 3 January 2019 .
Under Section 8(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 , a sentence of two years or more triggers automatic disqualification from the date of conviction.
Singh first won Sahebganj in 2005 on an LJP ticket; joined BJP in 2022 and won again in the 2025 Bihar Assembly election .
An appeal before a higher court could stay the sentence and halt the disqualification process.
Raju Singh, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of the Legislative Assembly from Sahebganj constituency in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district, has been sentenced to four years' imprisonment by Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court in connection with a fatal celebratory firing incident on New Year's Eve 2018. The conviction carries immediate political consequences, with Singh's Assembly membership now liable for disqualification under electoral law.
What the Court Decided
The Rouse Avenue Court found Raju Singh guilty of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and offences under the Arms Act, handing him a four-year custodial sentence. However, the court acquitted his wife Renu Singh and two co-accused, Rana Singh and Ramendra Singh, in the same case.
The Incident That Triggered the Case
The case stems from the night of 31 December 2018, when celebratory gunfire allegedly broke out during New Year's festivities. According to the prosecution, a bullet struck architect Archana Gupta, who sustained serious injuries and died on 3 January 2019 while undergoing treatment. The incident occurred nearly seven years before the verdict was delivered.
Disqualification Now Looms
Under Section 8(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, any Member of Parliament or Member of a Legislative Assembly convicted and sentenced to two years or more in prison stands disqualified from the date of conviction, unless a competent court grants relief. Since Singh has been sentenced to four years, his membership of the Bihar Legislative Assembly is liable to lapse, which would render the Sahebganj Assembly seat vacant, subject to the applicable legal process.
Singh's Political Journey
Raju Singh, who belongs to the Rajput community, first entered the Bihar Legislative Assembly in 2005 on a Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) ticket from Sahebganj. Ahead of the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, he moved to the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) and retained the seat. In 2022, he joined the BJP and was subsequently inducted into the Bihar government as a minister. He went on to win the 2025 Bihar Assembly election from Sahebganj as the BJP candidate — a seat he now risks losing.
What Happens Next
The conviction marks a significant legal and political setback for the BJP legislator. Any appeal filed against the judgment before a higher court could potentially stay the sentence and, by extension, the disqualification. The BJP has not yet issued a formal response to the verdict. The legal developments in the coming days will determine whether a by-election is necessitated in Sahebganj.
Point of View
Singh's political career has spanned multiple parties and two decades, suggesting he is a constituency heavyweight whose loss of the Sahebganj seat would create a genuine electoral vacuum. A by-election in that seat, if triggered, will be watched as a barometer of Bihar's political temperature ahead of broader alliance calculations.
NationPress
4 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has Raju Singh been sentenced to four years in prison?
Raju Singh was convicted by Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and Arms Act offences related to celebratory firing on New Year's Eve 2018, during which architect Archana Gupta was fatally shot. The court sentenced him to four years' imprisonment.
Will Raju Singh be disqualified as an MLA?
Under Section 8(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, a conviction carrying a sentence of two years or more triggers automatic disqualification from the date of conviction. Since Singh has been sentenced to four years, his Sahebganj seat is liable to be declared vacant unless a higher court grants a stay.
Who was Archana Gupta and what happened to her?
Archana Gupta was an architect who was struck by a bullet during celebratory firing on the night of 31 December 2018. She sustained serious injuries and died on 3 January 2019 while undergoing treatment, according to the prosecution.
What is Raju Singh's political background?
Raju Singh first won the Sahebganj Assembly seat in 2005 on a Lok Janshakti Party ticket. He later contested under the Vikassheel Insaan Party banner in 2020 and joined the BJP in 2022, after which he was made a minister in the Bihar government and won the 2025 Bihar Assembly election from the same seat.
Can Raju Singh avoid disqualification by appealing?
Yes, if Singh files an appeal before a competent higher court and secures a stay on the conviction or sentence, the disqualification could be halted pending the outcome of the appeal. The legal process following the verdict will be closely watched.
