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Patna High Court

Nagendra MahtoversusThe State of Bihar

Decided
Disposal
DISPOSED

Holding

The court allowed the anticipatory bail application conditionally, subject to verification of the petitioner’s criminal antecedent.

Summary

Nagendra Mahto applied for anticipatory bail under Section 438 of the Criminal Procedure Code in connection with a case registered under Section 30(a) of the Excise Act for alleged recovery of 55.65 litres of liquor. He argued that he was not arrested at the scene, that the liquor was recovered from a place not belonging to him, and that the complaint was filed on the basis of a watchman's (chaukidar's) information, questioning the police investigation. The State opposed the bail. The Patna High Court, after considering the submissions, directed that the petitioner be released on provisional anticipatory bail upon furnishing a bail bond of Rs.5,000 with two sureties, subject to verification of his criminal antecedents. The court stipulated that if more than one prior case is found, the bail may be revoked; otherwise, the provisional order will be confirmed.

Issues considered

  • Whether anticipatory bail can be granted under Section 438 CrPC for an offence punishable under Section 30(a) of the Excise Act.
  • Whether the petitioner’s alleged lack of possession and the circumstances of the complaint justify granting bail.
  • Whether the petitioner’s criminal antecedent affects the grant of anticipatory bail.

Legislation cited

Subjects

  • anticipatory bail
  • Section 438 CrPC
  • Excise Act
  • liquor seizure
  • criminal antecedent
  • provisional bail
  • watchman testimony
  • police investigation

Judgment

                      IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
                              CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.10643 of 2026
                      Arising Out of PS. Case No.-190 Year-2025 Thana- BHUTAHI District- Sitamarhi
                 ======================================================
                 Nagendra Mahto Son of Damari Mahto Resident of Village- Janaki Nagar,
                 Ward No. 2, P.S.- Bhutahi, District- Sitamarhi

                                                                                   ... ... Petitioner/s
                                                        Versus
                 The State of Bihar

                                                        ... ... Opposite Party/s
                 ======================================================
                 Appearance :
                 For the Petitioner/s     :        Mr.Ashok Kumar Jha
                 For the Opposite Party/s :        Mr.Ajay Kumar No. 2
                 ======================================================
                 CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SATYAVRAT VERMA
                                       ORAL ORDER

2   24-02-2026                  1. Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and

                   learned APP for the State.

                                2. The petitioner seeks bail in anticipation of his

                   arrest in a case registered for the offences punishable under

                   Section 30(a) of the Excise Act.

                                3. The learned counsel for the petitioner submits that

                   the petitioner has antecedent of one case under the Excise Act

                   and allegation is of recovery of 55.65 litres of liquor from two

                   sacks.

                                4. The learned counsel for the petitioner submits that

                   petitioner was not arrested from the spot, as such, nothing was

                   recovered from his conscious possession and even alleged

                   recovery is from a place, which does not belong to the petitioner

                   and he came to be implicated at the instance of Chaukidar, but
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.10643 of 2026(2) dt.24-02-2026
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          then, it is submitted that if Chaukidar was aware of the

          involvement of the petitioners in the occurrence, then why he

          did not inform the police prior to institution of the present F.I.R.,

          which casts an aspersion on the case of the prosecution. It is

          next submitted that police in majority of cases implicating

          innocent persons either at the behest of Chaukidar, local person,

          secret information and confessional statement in a mechanical

          manner without holding a proper investigation.

                       5. Learned A.P.P. opposes the anticipatory bail

          application.

                       6. Considering the submissions made by the learned

          counsel for the petitioner, the petitioner, above-named, in the

          event of his arrest or surrender before the learned Court below

          within a period of six weeks, is directed to be released on

          provisional anticipatory bail on his furnishing bail-bonds in the

          sum of Rs.5,000/- (Rupees Five Thousand) 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 Bhutahi P. S. Case No.190 of 2025, subject to the

          conditions laid down under Section 438(2) of the Cr.P.C.

                       7. The application stands allowed.

                       8. It is made clear that the learned trial Court after
               Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.10643 of 2026(2) dt.24-02-2026
                                                           3/3




                         accepting the provisional bail bonds of the petitioner shall verify

                         the criminal antecedent of the petitioner and in the event, if it is

                         found that petitioner has antecedent of more than one case, then

                         it would be presumed that petitioner for the purposes of

                         obtaining anticipatory bail had concealed his antecedent before

                         this Court, in that event, the present provisional anticipatory bail

                         order shall not be confirmed, but if on verification, it is found

                         that petitioner has antecedent of one case only, in that event, the

                         provisional anticipatory bail order shall be confirmed forthwith.



                                                   (Satyavrat Verma, J)
vikash/-

U          T


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