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Patna High Court

Vishnu Kumar VermaversusThe State of Bihar

Decided
Disposal
DISPOSED

Holding

The Court provisionally granted anticipatory bail to the petitioner, subject to conditions and verification of his antecedents.

Summary

Vishnu Kumar Verma sought anticipatory bail after being implicated in a case under Section 30(a) of the Bihar Prohibition and Excise (Amendment) Act, 2018 for alleged recovery of 1,231.560 litres of liquor from two vehicles he owned. He argued that he had no prior criminal record, the liquor was not found in his immediate possession, and he was unaware that his driver misused the vehicle. The State opposed the bail, contending the seriousness of the offence. The Court granted provisional anticipatory bail, requiring a bail bond of Rs.500 with two sureties, subject to verification of the petitioner’s antecedents by the trial court. If any prior case is discovered, the bail will not be confirmed; otherwise, it will be confirmed immediately.

Issues considered

  • Whether the petitioner is entitled to anticipatory bail under Section 438 of the Criminal Procedure Code in a case under the Bihar Prohibition and Excise (Amendment) Act, 2018
  • Whether the petitioner’s clean antecedent and lack of direct possession of the seized liquor justify granting bail

Legislation cited

Subjects

  • anticipatory bail
  • Section 438 CrPC
  • Section 30(a) Bihar Prohibition Act
  • clean antecedent
  • vehicle ownership
  • liquor seizure

Judgment

                      IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
                              CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.31908 of 2026
                      Arising Out of PS. Case No.-121 Year-2021 Thana- DANIYAWAN District- Patna
                 ======================================================
                 Vishnu Kumar Verma Son of Sri Bhola Mahto Resident of Village-
                 Maghalyatola, P.S.- Giridih Town and District- Giridih (Jharkhand)
                                                                               ... ... Petitioner/s
                                                   Versus
                 The State of Bihar
                                                                        ... ... Opposite Party/s
                 ======================================================
                 Appearance :
                 For the Petitioner/s     :       Mr. Ranjeet Patel, Advocate
                 For the Opposite Party/s :       Mr. Ramesh Chandra, A.P.P.
                 ======================================================
                 CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SATYAVRAT VERMA
                                       ORAL ORDER

2   12-05-2026                  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 offence punishable under Section 30(a) of the

                   Bihar Prohibition and Excise (Amendment) Act, 2018.

                                3. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that

                   petitioner is a person with clean antecedent and allegation is of

                   recovery of 1231.560 litres of liquor from two vehicles.

                                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 one of the seized vehicles. It is next submitted that no

                   prudent person would use his own vehicle for committing an

                   occurrence and, thus, would create evidence against himself
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.31908 of 2026(2) dt.12-05-2026
                                            2/3




          and, hence, would get implicated. It is also submitted that

          petitioner was completely unaware that his driver would misuse

          the vehicle in the manner as alleged who also fled 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 appearing on behalf of 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 Daniyawan P.S.

          Case No. 121 of 2021, 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

          application in that event the provisional anticipatory bail order

          shall not be confirmed but if it is found on verification that
           Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.31908 of 2026(2) dt.12-05-2026
                                                       3/3




                     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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