Patna High Court
Mamtaz Khan @ Mumtaz KhanversusThe State of Bihar
- Decided
- Disposal
- DISPOSED
- Bench
- SATYAVRAT VERMA
Holding
The appeal is partly allowed; anticipatory bail is granted to appellants 1,2,3,5,6,7 and 8, but denied to appellant 4.
Summary
The appellants appealed to the Patna High Court under Section 14‑A(2) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 against the Special Judge’s refusal to grant anticipatory bail in a case involving alleged caste‑based assault, robbery and humiliation of the informant. The FIR alleged that several of the accused, led by Mumtaz Khan, attacked the informant’s house on 13‑04‑2022, causing bodily injuries, theft of jewellery and money, and forced disrobement. The appellants argued that the informant failed to appear despite notice, that the allegations were vague and not made in public view, and that the evidence did not justify denial of bail. The State opposed the bail, invoking the seriousness of the offences under the IPC and the SC/ST Act. The High Court partially allowed the appeal, setting aside the lower court’s order for appellants 1,2,3,5,6,7 and 8, directing that they be released on anticipatory bail upon furnishing bond and sureties, but rejected bail for appellant 4 (Neyaz Khan). The order was issued under the inherent powers of the court under Section 482(2) of the CrPC.
Issues considered
- Whether anticipatory bail can be granted to accused under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in view of the alleged offences.
- Whether the FIR and the informant’s non‑appearance constitute sufficient ground to deny bail.
- Whether the court may grant bail to some accused while denying it to others based on the nature of allegations and antecedents.
- Application of Section 14‑A(2) of the SC/ST Act and Section 482(2) of the CrPC in granting anticipatory bail.
Legislation cited
- Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 — s. 482(2)
- Indian Penal Code — s. 147, 148, 323, 341, 354(B), 380, 452
- Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 — s. 14-A(2), 3(1)(1), 3(1)(d), 3(1)(e), 3(1)(r), 3(1)(S), 3(1)(W)
Subjects
- anticipatory bail
- SC/ST Act
- caste based violence
- Criminal Procedure Code
- partial relief
- IPC offences
- bail conditions
Judgment
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
CRIMINAL APPEAL (SJ) No.175 of 2025
Arising Out of PS. Case No.-101 Year-2024 Thana- KESARIA District- East Champaran
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1. Mamtaz Khan @ Mumtaz Khan Son of Lal Khan Resident of Village - Lala
Chapra, Police Station - Kesariya, District - East Champaran
2. Azad Khan Son of Mumtaz Khan Resident of Village - Lala Chapra, Police
Station - Kesariya, District - East Champaran
3. Bachu Khan @ Bacha Khan Son of Asin Khan @ Yasin Khan Resident of
Village - Lala Chapra, Police Station - Kesariya, District - East Champaran
4. Neyaz Khan @ Md. Neyaz Khan Son of Bachu Khan @ Bacha Khan
Resident of Village - Lala Chapra, Police Station - Kesariya, District - East
Champaran
5. Seeraj Khan @ Sheraj Khan Son of Bachu Khan @ Bacha Khan Resident of
Village - Lala Chapra, Police Station - Kesariya, District - East Champaran
6. Laddu Khan @ Arbaz Khan Son of Sanaullah Khan Resident of Village -
Lala Chapra, Police Station - Kesariya, District - East Champaran
7. Nejam Khan @ Naj Khan Son of Akhar Khan Resident of Village - Lala
Chapra, Police Station - Kesariya, District - East Champaran
8. Ekaram Kha @ Ekram Khan Son of Asin Khan @ Yasin Khan Resident of
Village - Lala Chapra, Police Station - Kesariya, District - East Champaran
... ... Appellant/s
Versus
1. The State of Bihar
2. Sabita Devi Wife of Devendra Das Resident of Village - Lala Chapra, Police
Station - Kesariya, District - East Champaran
... ... Respondent/s
======================================================
Appearance :
For the Appellant/s : Mr. Md. Waliur Rahman
For the Respondent/s : Mr. Binay Krishna
======================================================
CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SATYAVRAT VERMA
ORAL ORDER
4 28-04-2026 1. Heard learned counsel for the appellants, learned
Spl. P.P. for the State and the learned counsel appearing on
behalf of the informant.
2. This is an appeal under Section 14-A(2) of the
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of
Patna High Court CR. APP (SJ) No.175 of 2025(4) dt.28-04-2026
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Atrocities) Act, 1989 (hereinafter referred to as the “SC/ST
Act”) against the refusal of prayer for anticipatory bail vide
order dated 29.10.2024 in A.B.P. No.4328/2024, passed by the
learned Special Judge S.C./S.T. (POA) Act, East Chmaparan at
Motihari in connection with Kesariya P.S. Case No.101/2024.
registered for the offences punishable under Sections 147, 148,
341, 323, 380, 452, 354(B) of the Indian Penal Code as well as
Sections 3(1)(S), 3(1)(W), 3(1)(1), 3(1)(d), 3(1)(e), 3(1)(r) of
the Act.
3. Learned counsel for the appellants submits that
appellant no.1, 3 and 8 have antecedent of two cases, appellant
no.4, 5, 6 and 7 have antecedent of one case and appellant no.2
is a person with clean antecedent and the informant alleges that
accused persons including the appellants on 13.04.2022 at 8
P.M. came to her house and abused by taking caste name,
further on instigation of Mumtaz, accused Neyaz assaulted her
with lathi having knife, causing pain in the stomach, thereafter
Tara Khan assaulted by rod causing injury on hand and fingers,
further all accused assaulted her inside the house and Suvitra
snatched her mangal-sutra while Azad took away Rs.16,000/-,
further on orders of Mumtaz, accused Naaz khan and Seeraj
dragged her outside the house and disrobed her, thereafter
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Ekram and Laddu assaulted her by chappal and Mumtaz spat on
her face and also acted inappropriately with Lalsa Devi and
assaulted her by lathi, next alleges that reason for the occurrence
is that Mumtaz and Laddu had assaulted her son on the pretext
that he crossed their house on cycle, hence informant had gone
to complain when present occurrence took place.
4. Learned counsel for the appellants submits that
informant despite receiving notice chooses not to appear and
contest. It is further submitted that appellants and informant are
neighbour. It is next submitted that from perusal of the
allegation as alleged in the FIR, it would manifest that the same
does not inspire confidence for the reason that it does not appear
probable that informant with such precision and certainty could
have alleged who assaulted whom, where and by what and who
dragged whom. It is also submitted that allegation of abuse and
assault is general and omnibus in nature, except against Neyaz
and Tara Khan but then Tara Khan is not an appellant in the
instant case. It is further submitted that even presuming what
has been alleged is true without admitting then the occurrence is
alleged to have taken place at the house of the informant, hence
was not in public view. It is also submitted that this perhaps
explains why informant despite receiving notice chooses not to
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appear and contest.
5. Learned Spl. P.P. for the State opposes the prayer
for anticipatory bail of the appellants.
6. Considering the aforesaid facts, the appeal is
allowed partly with respect to appellants.
7. The order impugned is set aside partly with respect
to appellant no.1, 2, 3, 5, 6,7 and 8, accordingly, the appellants
above-named, in the event of their arrest or surrender within a
period of six weeks from today, be released on anticipatory bail
on furnishing bail bonds of Rs. 5,000/- (Rupees Five Thousand)
each with two sureties of the like amount each to the satisfaction
of the learned trial court where the case is pending/successor
court in connection with the aforesaid case, subject to the
conditions as laid down under Section 482 (2) of the BNSS.
8. The Court is not inclined to extend the privilege of
anticipatory bail to appellant no.4.
9. The anticipatory bail application of appellant no.4,
namely, Neyaz Khan @ Md. Neyaz Khan is rejected.
10. The appeal stands partly allowed.
(Satyavrat Verma, J)
amit/-
U T
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