Patna High Court
Ravi KantversusThe State of Bihar
- Decided
- Disposal
- DISPOSED
- Bench
- SATYAVRAT VERMA
Holding
The Court conditionally granted provisional anticipatory bail to the petitioner, subject to verification of his criminal antecedent.
Summary
The petitioner, Ravi Kant, sought anticipatory bail after learning that he might be arrested in a case alleging violation of Section 317(5) of the Bihar Narcotic Substances Act and Section 30(a) of the Bihar Prohibition and Excise (Amendment) Act for the alleged recovery of 10,800 litres of liquor from a motorcycle he owned. He argued that he had a clean antecedent, was not in possession of the liquor at the time of seizure, and was unaware that another individual, Dharamnath, misused his vehicle. The State opposed the bail, contending that the allegations warranted detention. The Court considered the petitioner's claims and the statutory provisions governing anticipatory bail. It granted provisional anticipatory bail, subject to a bond of Rs.500 with two sureties and conditions under Section 438(2) of the Cr.P.C. and Section 482(2) of the Bihar Narcotic Substances Act, pending verification of his antecedent. The order stipulated that if any prior case is discovered, the bail would not be confirmed; otherwise, it would be confirmed immediately.
Issues considered
- Whether the petitioner is entitled to anticipatory bail under Section 438 of the Cr.P.C. in view of the alleged offences under Section 317(5) of the Bihar Narcotic Substances Act and Section 30(a) of the Bihar Prohibition and Excise (Amendment) Act.
Legislation cited
- Bihar Narcotic Substances Act — s. 317(5), 482(2)
- Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 — s. 438(2)
Subjects
- anticipatory bail
- Section 438 Cr.P.C.
- Section 317 Bihar Narcotic Substances Act
- Section 30 Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act
- vehicle ownership
- clean antecedent
- liquor seizure
Judgment
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.20522 of 2026
Arising Out of PS. Case No.-269 Year-2024 Thana- MANIYARI District- Muzaffarpur
======================================================
Ravi Kant son of Awadhesh Singh @ Avadhesh Singh Resident of Village
-Sonbarsa Sah PS- Maniyari Dist -Muzaffarpur
... ... Petitioner/s
Versus
The State of Bihar
... ... Opposite Party/s
======================================================
Appearance :
For the Petitioner/s : Mr. Hans Lal Kumar, Advocate
For the Opposite Party/s : Mr. Braj Kishore Pd., A.P.P.
======================================================
CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SATYAVRAT VERMA
ORAL ORDER
2 31-03-2026 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 317(5) of
the BNS as well as Section 30(a) of the Bihar Prohibition and
Excise (Amendment) Act.
3. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that
petitioner is a person with clean antecedent and allegation is of
recovery of 10.800 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
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.20522 of 2026(2) dt.31-03-2026
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and, thus, would create evidence against himself and, hence,
would get implicated. It is also submitted that petitioner was
completely unaware that Dharamnath 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, 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 Maniyari P.S. Case No. 269 of 2024, 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
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.20522 of 2026(2) dt.31-03-2026
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application in that event the provisional anticipatory bail order
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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