Patna High Court
Hari Kumar @ Hari Kumar Mahto @ HariversusThe State of Bihar
- Decided
- Disposal
- DISPOSED
- Bench
- SATYAVRAT VERMA
Holding
The court held that provisional anticipatory bail may be granted subject to verification of antecedents and compliance with conditions under Section 482(2) of the CrPC.
Summary
The petitioner, Hari Kumar, sought anticipatory bail after learning that he might be arrested in a case under Section 30(a) of the Bihar Excise Act for alleged recovery of 24 litres of liquor from his motorcycle. He argued that the liquor was seized from his friend who was apprehended at the spot and that he had no knowledge of the misuse of his vehicle, contending that ownership alone should not create evidence against him. The State opposed the bail, asserting the seriousness of the offence. The High Court, considering the submissions, granted provisional anticipatory bail on the condition that the petitioner surrender within six weeks, furnish bail bonds of Rs. 5,000 with two sureties, and submit to verification of his criminal antecedents. The order was made subject to Section 482(2) of the Criminal Procedure Code, with a provision that the bail would be confirmed only if the petitioner is found to have at most one prior case, otherwise it would be revoked.
Issues considered
- Whether the petitioner is entitled to anticipatory bail in a case under Section 30(a) of the Bihar Excise Act.
- Whether mere ownership of the vehicle used in the alleged offence justifies arrest and denial of bail.
- Whether the petitioner’s prior criminal antecedent affects the grant of anticipatory bail.
Legislation cited
- Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 — s. 482(2)
Subjects
- anticipatory bail
- Bihar Excise Act
- Section 30(a)
- Section 482 CrPC
- vehicle ownership
- criminal antecedent
- seizure of liquor
Judgment
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.19727 of 2026
Arising Out of PS. Case No.-18 Year-2026 Thana- MADHEPUR District- Madhubani
======================================================
Hari Kumar @ Hari Kumar Mahto @ Hari S/O Ram Vilas Mahto R/O vill.-
Bela, P.S.- Lakhnaur, Dist.- Madhubani
... ... Petitioner/s
Versus
The State of Bihar Patna
... ... Opposite Party/s
======================================================
Appearance :
For the Petitioner/s : Mr.Baleshwar Kamat
For the Opposite Party/s : Mr.Sanjay Kumar Sharma
======================================================
CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SATYAVRAT VERMA
ORAL ORDER
2 26-03-2026 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 the
petitioner has antecedent of one case under the Excise Act and
allegation is of recovery of 24 litres of liquor from a motorcycle.
4. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the
petitioner was not arrested 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
his own vehicle for committing an occurrence and thus would
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create evidence against himself and hence would get implicated,
it is further submitted that petitioner was completely unaware
that his friend, Sunil, would misuse the vehicle in the manner as
alleged, who was also apprehended from the spot.
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 Madhepur P.S. Case
No. 18 of 2026 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
confirmed, but after verification if it is found that petitioner has
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antecedent of one case in that event the provisional anticipatory
bail order shall be confirmed forthwith.
(Satyavrat Verma, J)
Sumit/-
U T
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