Patna High Court
Sanjeet Paswan @ Sanjeet KumarversusThe State of Bihar
- Decided
- Disposal
- DISPOSED
- Bench
- SATYAVRAT VERMA
Holding
The Court granted provisional anticipatory bail to the petitioner subject to conditions under Section 438(2) of the Cr.P.C.
Summary
The petitioner, Sanjeet Paswan, applied for anticipatory bail anticipating arrest in a case under Sections 30(a), 30(c), 30(d) and 41 of the Excise Act for alleged recovery of liquor and spirits. He argued that the alleged contraband was seized from a public place not in his possession and that the complaint was motivated by an inimical relationship with a watchman. The State opposed the bail, contending the seriousness of the offences. The 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 Section 438(2) of the Cr.P.C. and verification of his criminal antecedents. The order further stipulated that if more than one prior case is found, the bail would not be confirmed; otherwise, it would be confirmed forthwith.
Issues considered
- Whether anticipatory bail under Section 438 of the Cr.P.C. is appropriate in a case involving offences under the Excise Act.
- Whether the petitioner’s alleged lack of possession and the circumstances of the seizure justify granting bail.
Legislation cited
- Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 — s. 438(2)
- Excise Act — s. 30(a), 30(c), 30(d), 41
Subjects
- anticipatory bail
- Excise Act
- Section 438 CrPC
- bail conditions
- criminal procedure
Judgment
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.15756 of 2026
Arising Out of PS. Case No.-26 Year-2026 Thana- RISIYAP District- Aurangabad
======================================================
Sanjeet Paswan @ Sanjeet Kumar Son of Lakshmi Paswan @ Gore Paswan
R/o Village - Mangurahi, P.S. - Rishiup, Dist. - Aurangabad.
... ... Petitioner/s
Versus
The State of Bihar
... ... Opposite Party/s
======================================================
Appearance :
For the Petitioner/s : Ms.Mukul Kumari
For the Opposite Party/s : Mr.Kanhiya Kishor
======================================================
CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SATYAVRAT VERMA
ORAL ORDER
2 01-04-2026 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
Sections 30(a), 30(c), 30(d) and 41 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 199.5 litres of liquor along with
80 litres of spirit and some empty bottles from Gamhari Badhar.
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 is accessible to public at large and he came to be implicated
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.15756 of 2026(2) dt.01-04-2026
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at the instance of Chaukidar with whom he is on an inimical
term. It is further 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 Risiup P. S. Case No.26 of 2026, G.R. No.211 of 2026,
subject to the conditions laid down under Section 438(2) of the
Cr.P.C.
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.15756 of 2026(2) dt.01-04-2026
3/3
7. The application stands allowed.
8. It is made clear that the learned trial Court after
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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