Gun found; MLA’s son now claims he fired in self-defence

A day after the son of an Uttar Pradesh legislator was caught for allegedly entering into a scuffle and then opening fire in a plush south Delhi bar, police recovered a Skoda Laura in which he had hidden his Smith and Wesson licensed pistol.

A day after the son of an Uttar Pradesh legislator was caught for allegedly entering into a scuffle and then opening fire in a plush south Delhi bar, police recovered a Skoda Laura in which he had hidden his Smith and Wesson licensed pistol.

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After his arrest from Lajpat Nagar on Wednesday night, the accused, Vivek Singh (27), told the police that he fired in self-defence. “He (Singh) claimed he was surrounded by bouncers and the bar staff and one of them had even caught him by the collar.

He feared that he would be beaten up so he fired in self defence,” said a police officer on condition of anonymity. Singh had allegedly entered into a scuffle with the bar staff after his sister, Manisha Singh, alleged she had lost her wallet at Mocha bar in Nehru Place on Tuesday night, when she had gone for dinner with three friends.

“We have examined the CCTV footage at the entrance of Satyam multiplex. In the footage, she is seen carrying her bag inside and then coming out after having dinner with the bag. It is difficult to ascertain where she lost her wallet, as it was kept inside the bag,” said the officer.

On Wednesday morning, Singh had come to the bar in the official Toyota Innova car of his father, Chandraveer Singh, MLA from Sardhana in Uttar Pradesh, which had a beacon atop it.

Police said, after firing inside the bar, Singh fled in a Skoda Laura, which also belongs to his father. “We have impounded the car. He had hidden the licensed pistol in it,” said the officer.

Police said Singh procured the pistol in 2008 and had an all-India permit with him. On Thursday, Singh was produced in a city court and was remanded to judicial custody.