Patna High Court
Md. AmzadversusThe State of Bihar
- Decided
- Disposal
- BAIL GRANTED
- Bench
- RAJESH KUMAR VERMA
Holding
The court granted anticipatory bail to the petitioner, subject to conditions, despite the statutory restriction under Section 76(2) of the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act.
Summary
Md. Amzad was implicated in an excise case for the alleged possession of 668.880 litres of illicit foreign liquor, based solely on his ownership of the vehicle from which the liquor was seized. He applied for anticipatory bail, asserting a clean criminal record and that no liquor was found in his conscious possession. The prosecution opposed the bail, invoking Section 76(2) of the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act which restricts pre‑arrest bail in such offences. The Patna High Court, relying on the Full Bench decision in Ram Vinay Yadav v. State of Bihar, held that anticipatory bail could be granted despite the statutory provision, subject to strict conditions. Accordingly, the court ordered that the petitioner be released on anticipatory bail upon furnishing a Rs.10,000 bond with two sureties and compliance with conditions under Section 438(2) of the CrPC.
Issues considered
- Whether anticipatory bail can be granted to a person accused under the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act notwithstanding Section 76(2) of that Act.
- Whether ownership of a vehicle from which illicit liquor is seized suffices to constitute possession for the purpose of bail.
Legislation cited
- Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act — s. 30(a), 32(3), 76(2)
- Code of Criminal Procedure — s. 438(2)
Subjects
- anticipatory bail
- Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act
- illicit liquor
- Section 438 CrPC
- vehicle ownership
- false implication
Judgment
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.32113 of 2026
Arising Out of PS. Case No.-343 Year-2026 Thana- Excise P.S. District- Muzaffarpur
======================================================
Md. Amzad S/O Md. Abdulla @ Md. Abdul R/O Village- Daudpur, P.S.- Paru,
Distt.- Muzaffarpur.
... ... Petitioner/s
Versus
The State of Bihar
... ... Opposite Party/s
======================================================
Appearance :
For the Petitioner/s : Mr. Priyesh Kumar, Advocate
For the Opposite Party/s : Ms. Pushpa Sinha, APP
======================================================
CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE RAJESH KUMAR VERMA
ORAL ORDER
2 01-07-2026 Heard Mr. Priyesh Kumar, learned counsel for the
petitioner and Ms. Pushpa Sinha, learned Additional Public
Prosecutor for the State.
2. The petitioner is apprehending his arrest in
connection with Excise P.S. Case No. 343 of 2026, F.I.R dated
19.02.2026 registered for the offences punishable under Section
30(a) and 32(3) of Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act.
3. Recovery is of 668.880 liters of illicit foreign
liquor.
4. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that
the petitioner has clean antecedent and has falsely been
implicated in the present case. He further submits that the
allegation as alleged in the F.I.R is false and fabricated. He
further submits that it appears from the F.I.R as well as seizure
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list that nothing has been recovered from the conscious
possession of the petitioner rather the recovery has been made
from vehicle in question and the petitioner is made accused
merely on the basis that he is the owner of the said vehicle. He
further submits that one co-accused Raushan Kumar was
arrested from the place of occurrence. No case, whatsoever,
would be made out against the petitioner under the Bihar
Prohibition and Excise Act.
5. The learned Additional Public Prosecutor has
vehemently opposed the prayer for anticipatory bail of the
petitioner referring the provision contained in Section 76(2) of
the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act and submitted that the
pre-arrest bail would not be maintainable.
6. This court is aware of the decision of the Full
Bench in the case of Ram Vinay Yadav vs. State of Bihar
reported in 2019(2) P.L.J.R. 1089. Having regard to the law laid
down in the aforesaid judgment and the submission advanced on
behalf of the parties, this Court, for the limited purpose of grant
of anticipatory bail, is inclined to accept the submission of
counsel for the petitioner.
7. Considering the aforesaid facts, nothing has been
recovered from conscious possession of the petitioner, the
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petitioner has clean antecedent and the petitioner is made
accused merely on the basis that he is the owner of the vehicle
in question, let the petitioner, above named, in the event of his
arrest or surrender before the court below within a period of
thirty days from the date of receipt of the order, be released on
bail on furnishing bail bond of Rs. 10,000/- (Ten Thousand)
with two sureties of the like amount each to the satisfaction of
the learned Exclusive Special Judge Excise-II, Muzaffarpur in
connection with Excise P.S. Case No. 343 of 2026, subject to
the conditions as laid down under Section 438(2) of the Code of
Criminal Procedure and with other following conditions:-
i. Petitioner shall co-operate in the trial and shall be
properly represented on each and every date fixed by the court
and shall remain physically present as directed by the court and
on his absence on two consecutive dates without sufficient
reason, his bail bond shall be cancelled by the Court below.
ii. If the petitioner tampers with the evidence or the
witnesses, in that case, the prosecution will be at liberty to move
for cancellation of bail.
iii. And further condition that the court below shall
verify the criminal antecedent of the petitioner and in case at
any stage it is found that the petitioner has concealed his
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criminal antecedent, the court below shall take step for
cancellation of bail bond of the petitioner. However, the
acceptance of bail bonds in terms of the above-mentioned order
shall not be delayed for purpose of or in the name of
verification.
(Rajesh Kumar Verma, J)
Vanisha/-
U T
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