Patna High Court
Manjit PaswanversusThe State of Bihar
- Decided
- Disposal
- DISPOSED
- Bench
- SATYAVRAT VERMA
Holding
The court held that provisional anticipatory bail may be granted subject to conditions and verification of the petitioner’s antecedent.
Summary
Manjit Paswan, the owner of a motorcycle from which 28 litres of liquor was seized, applied for anticipatory bail, claiming a clean criminal record and that he was not in possession of the liquor at the time of seizure. The State opposed the bail, arguing the seizure implicated him under Section 30(a) of the Bihar Prohibition and Excise (Amendment) Act, 2018. The court examined whether ownership of the vehicle alone justified arrest and whether anticipatory bail was appropriate under Section 438 of the Cr.P.C. The judge granted provisional anticipatory bail, subject to a Rs.500 bond, two sureties, and a six‑week surrender, with a condition that the trial court verify the petitioner’s antecedents. If a prior case is found, the bail will not be confirmed; otherwise, it will be confirmed forthwith.
Issues considered
- Whether the petitioner is entitled to anticipatory bail under Section 438 of the Criminal Procedure Code in the present circumstances.
- Whether ownership of the vehicle from which liquor was seized constitutes sufficient ground for arrest under Section 30(a) of the Bihar Prohibition and Excise (Amendment) Act, 2018.
Legislation cited
- B.N.S.S. — s. 482(2)
- Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 — s. 438(2)
Subjects
- anticipatory bail
- Section 30(a)
- Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act
- vehicle ownership
- clean antecedent
- bail conditions
Judgment
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.15037 of 2026
Arising Out of PS. Case No.-248 Year-2025 Thana- ARA MUFFSIL District- Bhojpur
======================================================
Manjit Paswan S/o- Motichand Paswan R/o Vill- Laxmanpur, P.S- Shahpur,
Dist- Bhojpur
... ... Petitioner/s
Versus
The State of Bihar
... ... Opposite Party/s
======================================================
Appearance :
For the Petitioner/s : Mr. Navin Kumar Singh, Advocate
For the Opposite Party/s : Mr. Chandra Bhushan Prasad, A.P.P.
======================================================
CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SATYAVRAT VERMA
ORAL ORDER
2 25-03-2026 1. Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and Mr.
Chandra Bhushan Prasad, learned A.P.P. for the State.
2. The petitioner apprehends his arrest in a case
registered for the offence punishable under Section 30(a) of the
Bihar Prohibition and Excise (Amendment) Act, 2018.
3. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that
petitioner is a person with clean antecedent and allegation is of
recovery of 28 litres of liquor from a motorcycle.
4. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that
petitioner was not arrested from the spot, as such, nothing was
recovered from his conscious possession. It is further submitted
that petitioner came to be implicated based on the fact that he is
owner of the seized vehicle. It is next submitted that no prudent
person would use his own vehicle for committing an occurrence
and, thus, would create evidence against himself and, hence,
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.15037 of 2026(2) dt.25-03-2026
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would get implicated. It is also submitted that petitioner was
completely unaware that Dolla would misuse the vehicle in the
manner as alleged who was also apprehended from the spot
along with Sikander.
5. Mr. Chandra Bhushan Prasad, learned A.P.P. for the
State opposes the prayer for anticipatory bail of the petitioner.
6. Considering the submissions made by the learned
counsel for the petitioner, let the petitioner, above-named, in the
event of his arrest or surrender within a period of six weeks
from today, be released on provisional anticipatory bail on
furnishing bail bonds of Rs.500/- (Rupees Five Hundred) 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 Ara Mufassil P.S. Case No. 248 of 2025,
subject to the conditions as laid down under Section 438(2) of
the Cr.P.C./482(2) of the B.N.S.S.
7. However, it is made clear that thereafter the learned
Trial Court shall verify the criminal antecedent of the petitioner
and if it is found that petitioner has antecedent of even one case,
it would be presumed that petitioner had concealed his
antecedent before this Court at para 3 of the anticipatory bail
application in that event the provisional anticipatory bail order
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.15037 of 2026(2) dt.25-03-2026
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shall not be confirmed but if it is found on verification that
petitioner is a person with clean antecedent in that event the
provisional anticipatory bail order shall be confirmed forthwith.
(Satyavrat Verma, J)
Kundan/-
U T
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