Patna High Court

Bijendra SinghversusThe State of Bihar

Decided: 17 March 2026
Disposal: CONVERTED
Bench: PRAVEEN KUMAR

Holding

The application is to be converted into a criminal appeal under the SC/ST Act within four weeks.

Summary

Petitioner Bijendra Singh filed an application before the Patna High Court seeking to convert the pending application into a criminal appeal under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The petitioner, represented by advocates Sanjay Prasad and Monika Singh, requested a four‑week period to effect the conversion. The court considered the procedural propriety of allowing such conversion and the adequacy of the time sought. Justice Praveen Kumar, after hearing counsel, ordered that the application be converted into a criminal appeal under the SC/ST Act within four weeks. The order thus permits the petitioner to proceed with the appeal on the merits of the alleged atrocity.

Issues considered

Whether the pending application may be converted into a criminal appeal under the SC/ST Act
Whether a four‑week period is sufficient for the conversion

Legislation cited

Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989

Subjects

SC/ST Act
criminal appeal
conversion of application
procedural order
Patna High Court

Judgment

                       IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
                               CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.13830 of 2024
                         Arising Out of PS. Case No.-37 Year-2022 Thana- PALIGANJ District- Patna
                  ======================================================
                  Bijendra Singh Son of Late Ban Bihari Singh R/o Village- Sikariya, P.S.-
                  Paliganj, District- Patna

                                                                                     ... ... Petitioner/s
                                                         Versus
            1.    The State of Bihar
            2.    Gori Kunwar D/o Late Rajnandan Manjhi R/o Village- Dhibari, P.S.-
                  Paliganj, District- Patna

                                                         ... ... Opposite Party/s
                  ======================================================
                  Appearance :
                  For the Petitioner/s     :       Mr. Sanjay Prasad, Advocate
                                                   Ms. Monika Singh, Advocate
                  For the Opposite Party/s :       Mr. Usha Kumari 1, APP
                  For the Informant/s      :       Mr. Ajit Kumar Sinha, Advocate
                  ======================================================
                  CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE PRAVEEN KUMAR
                                        ORAL ORDER

2    17-03-2026                   Learned counsel for the petitioner prays for four

                    weeks’ time to convert this application in Cr. Appeal (SJ) under

                    SC/ST Act.

                                  2. Let him do so.

                                  3. The present application is directed to be converted

                    accordingly within a period of four weeks.



                                               (Praveen Kumar, J)
shivam/-

U      T

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