Patna High Court
Ranjan KumarversusThe State of Bihar
- Decided
- Disposal
- BAIL GRANTED
- Bench
- SANDEEP KUMAR
Holding
Bail is granted to the petitioner subject to the stipulated conditions.
Summary
The petitioner, Ranjan Kumar, was arrested on 12 February 2026 in connection with the recovery of 234 litres of illicit liquor and charged under Sections 30(a) and 32 of the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act. He applied for bail, claiming innocence and asserting that no prior excise case is registered against him, and offered to donate Rs. 25,000 to a charitable organization. The State opposed the bail. The High Court, after considering the submissions, granted bail on the condition that the petitioner furnish a bail bond of Rs.10,000 with two sureties of equal amount, deposit Rs.25,000 with the Ramakrishna Mission Ashram, and attend Yadopur Police Station every Sunday, subject to verification of his lack of prior excise record. The order expressly limited its observations to the bail application and did not prejudice the merits of the trial.
Issues considered
- Whether bail should be granted to a person accused under Sections 30(a) and 32 of the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act for possession of illicit liquor.
- Whether the conditions imposed—bond, sureties, monetary deposit, and regular police station attendance—are appropriate and lawful.
- Whether the petitioner’s claim of having no prior excise case affects the grant of bail.
Subjects
- bail
- excise law
- illicit liquor
- Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act
- criminal procedure
- surety
- conditions of bail
Judgment
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.24025 of 2026
Arising Out of PS. Case No.-131 Year-2026 Thana- Excise P.S. District- Gopalganj
======================================================
Ranjan Kumar S/o Belara Chaudhary Resident of Village- Nawada, P.S.-
Yadopur, Dist.- Gopalganj
... ... Petitioner/s
Versus
The State of Bihar Bihar
... ... Opposite Party/s
======================================================
Appearance :
For the Petitioner/s : Mr.Adesh Raj Singh
For the Opposite Party/s : Mr.Parmanand Prasad
======================================================
CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SANDEEP KUMAR
ORAL ORDER
2 20-04-2026 Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and learned
APP for the State.
2. The petitioner seeks bail in connection with Excise
P.S. Case No. 131 of 2026 registered for the offence under
Section 30(a) and 32 of the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act.
3. The recovery is of 234 liters of illicit liquor.
4. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the
petitioner is innocent and he is in custody since 12.02.2026. He
further submits that the petitioner has no case of excise act
registered against him.
5. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the
petitioner is ready to donate Rs. 25,000/- in some charitable
organization without accepting his guilt.
6. Learned APP appearing for the State opposes the
prayer for bail of the petitioner.
7. Considering the facts and circumstances of the
case and submissions of learned counsel for the petitioner, let
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.24025 of 2026(2) dt.20-04-2026
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the petitioner, above named, be released on bail upon furnishing
bail bonds of Rs.10,000/- (ten thousand) with two sureties of the
like amount each to the satisfaction of the learned concerned
Court below in connection with Excise P.S. Case No. 131 of
2026.
8. This is also subject to the condition that the
petitioner shall deposit an amount of Rs. 25,000/- in
Ramakrishna Mission Ashram, Latu Maharaj Path, Chhapra and
produce the receipt of the same before the Court below. The bail
bonds of the petitioner shall be accepted after verifying the
genuineness of the receipt produced by the petitioner.
9. As a condition of this order, the petitioner after
being released on bail is directed to mark his attendance at
Yadopur Police Station on every Sunday of each month. Any
default in appearance at the police station will result in
cancellation of bail bonds of the petitioner.
10. As the petitioner claims that the petitioner has no
case registered against him under the excise act, the Court
below is directed to verify the same before accepting the bail
bonds of the petitioner. It is made clear that the bail bonds of the
petitioner shall only be accepted if he has no criminal history
under excise act.
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.24025 of 2026(2) dt.20-04-2026
3/3
11. It is, however, clarified that the observations
made herein are limited to the adjudication of the present bail
application and shall not prejudice the case of the petitioner at
any subsequent stage of the trial and this Court has not
expressed any opinion on the merits of the case.
(Sandeep Kumar, J)
Vikas/-
U
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