Patna High Court
Mithilesh Mandal @ Mithilesh Kumar Mandal @ Mithlesh MandalversusThe State of Bihar
- Decided
- Disposal
- DISPOSED
- Bench
- SATYAVRAT VERMA
Holding
The court held that anticipatory bail may be granted conditionally, subject to verification of the petitioner’s criminal antecedents, even where the petitioner is merely the owner of the vehicle used in the alleged offence.
Summary
Mithilesh Mandal sought anticipatory bail after being implicated in a case under Section 30(a) of the Bihar Excise Act for the alleged recovery of 86.85 litres of liquor from an auto he owned. He argued that he was not in possession of the liquor, was unaware of the vehicle's misuse by another person, and that ownership alone should not make him culpable. The State opposed the bail. The High Court, after hearing both sides, granted provisional anticipatory bail on the condition that the petitioner furnish a bail bond of Rs.5,000 with two sureties and that the trial court verify his criminal antecedents within six weeks. If more than one prior case is found, the bail would be cancelled; if only one prior case, the bail would be confirmed. The order was made under Section 482(2) of the BNSS.
Issues considered
- Whether anticipatory bail can be granted to a person alleged to be involved in an offence under Section 30(a) of the Bihar Excise Act.
- Whether mere ownership of the vehicle used in the alleged offence justifies denial of anticipatory bail.
- Whether the petitioner’s prior criminal antecedent affects the grant of anticipatory bail.
Subjects
- anticipatory bail
- excise law
- liquor seizure
- vehicle ownership
- criminal antecedent
- Section 30
- Section 482
- provisional bail
Judgment
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.18262 of 2026
Arising Out of PS. Case No.-400 Year-2025 Thana- JOKIHAT District- Araria
======================================================
Mithilesh Mandal @ Mithilesh Kumar Mandal @ Mithlesh Mandal S/O
Fuheshar Mandal @ Fuleshwar Mandal R/O Village- Priyankar (Sondip), P.S-
Dhamdhaha (Dhamdaha), Distt.- Purnia.
... ... Petitioner/s
Versus
The State of Bihar
... ... Opposite Party/s
======================================================
Appearance :
For the Petitioner/s : Mr. Pawan Kumar Singh, Advocate
For the Opposite Party/s : Ms. Sharda Kumari, APP
======================================================
CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SATYAVRAT VERMA
ORAL ORDER
2 25-03-2026 1. Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and
learned A.P.P. for the State.
2. The petitioner apprehends his arrest in a case
registered for the offences punishable under Section 30(a) of the
Bihar Excise Act.
3. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that
petitioner has antecedent of one case under the Excise Act and
allegation is of recovery of 86.85 liters of liquor from an Auto.
4. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that
petitioner was not apprehended from the spot as such nothing
was recovered from his conscious possession and he 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
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.18262 of 2026(2) dt.25-03-2026
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his own vehicle for committing an occurrence and thus would
create evidence against himself and hence would get implicated,
it is also submitted that petitioner was completely unaware that
Adarsh would misuse the vehicle in the manner as alleged who
was also apprehended along with Manish.
5. 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, the petitioner above-named, in the
event of his arrest or surrender before the learned Trial Court
within a period of six weeks from today, be released on
Provisional anticipatory bail on furnishing bail bonds 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 Jokihat
P.S. Case No. 400 of 2025 subject to the conditions as laid down
under Section 482 (2) of the BNSS.
7. It is made clear that thereafter the learned Trial Court
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
seeking anticipatory bail, had concealed his antecedent before this
Court, as such, the provisional anticipatory bail order shall not be
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.18262 of 2026(2) dt.25-03-2026
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confirmed, but after verification if 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)
Rishabh/-
U T
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