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Patna High Court

Anand Kumar YadavversusThe State of Bihar

Decided
Disposal
DISPOSED

Holding

The Court granted provisional anticipatory bail subject to bond, sureties and verification of the petitioner’s criminal antecedent.

Summary

Anand Kumar Yadav applied for anticipatory bail after learning that he might be arrested in a case under Sections 30(a) and 41(1) of the Bihar Prohibition and Excise (Amendment) Act, 2022, alleging that 1.98 litres of liquor were recovered from a motorcycle he owned. He argued that he was not in possession of the liquor and was unaware that his friend used the vehicle for the alleged offence. The State opposed the bail. The Court considered the petitioner's claim, the nature of the offence, and the provisions of Section 438(2) of the Criminal Procedure Code and Section 482(2) of the BNSS. It granted provisional anticipatory bail subject to a Rs.5,000 bond, two sureties, and a condition that the trial court verify his criminal antecedent within six weeks. If more than one antecedent case is found, the bail will not be confirmed; if only one, it will be confirmed forthwith.

Issues considered

  • Whether anticipatory bail should be granted to the petitioner under Section 438 CrPC in a case under the Bihar Prohibition and Excise (Amendment) Act, 2022.
  • Whether the petitioner’s ownership of the vehicle and alleged lack of possession of liquor affect the grant of bail.
  • Whether the petitioner’s criminal antecedent, if more than one case, should lead to denial of bail.

Legislation cited

Subjects

  • anticipatory bail
  • Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act
  • liquor seizure
  • vehicle ownership
  • criminal antecedent
  • Section 438 CrPC
  • Section 482 BNSS

Judgment

                      IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
                              CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.1978 of 2026
                     Arising Out of PS. Case No.-141 Year-2025 Thana- GOPALGANJ TOWN District-
                                                       Gopalganj
                 ======================================================
                 Anand Kumar Yadav Son of Avadh Yadav @ Awadh Yadav Resident of
                 Village- Baliwan Raymal, P.S.- Bishawambharpur, District- Gopalganj
                                                                            ... ... Petitioner/s
                                                    Versus
                 The State of Bihar
                                                                     ... ... Opposite Party/s
                 ======================================================
                 Appearance :
                 For the Petitioner/s     :      Mr. Shashank Shekhar, Advocate
                 For the Opposite Party/s :      Mr. Lakshmi Kant Sharma, A.P.P.
                 ======================================================
                 CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SATYAVRAT VERMA
                                       ORAL ORDER

2   27-01-2026                  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 Sections 30(a) and

                   41(1) of the Bihar Prohibition and Excise (Amendment) Act,

                   2022.

                                3. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that

                   petitioner has antecedent of one case under the Excise Act and

                   allegation is of recovery of 1.98 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
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.1978 of 2026(2) dt.27-01-2026
                                            2/3




          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

          would get implicated. It is also submitted that petitioner was

          completely unaware that his friend would misuse the vehicle in

          the manner as alleged.

                       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, let 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

          Gopalganj P.S. Case No. 141 of 2025, subject to the conditions

          as laid down under Section 438(2) of the Cr.P.C./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 if

          it is found that petitioner has antecedent of more than one case,
           Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.1978 of 2026(2) dt.27-01-2026
                                                       3/3




                     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

                     shall not be confirmed but if it is found on verification that

                     petitioner has antecedent of only one case in that event the

                     provisional anticipatory bail order shall be confirmed forthwith.

                                  8. At this stage, learned counsel for the petitioner

                     based on instruction submits that petitioner undertakes to

                     deposit an amount of Rs.5,000/- with the Advocate Association

                     of the Patna High Court.


                                                                         (Satyavrat Verma, J)

Kundan/-

U     T


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