Patna High Court
Pappu TiwariversusThe State of Bihar
- Decided
- Disposal
- DISPOSED
- Bench
- SATYAVRAT VERMA
Holding
The Court provisionally granted anticipatory bail to the petitioner, subject to verification of his antecedents and compliance with the stipulated conditions.
Summary
The petitioner, Pappu Tiwari, was implicated in a case under Sections 30(a) and 32 of the Bihar Prohibition and Excise (Amendment) Act, 2018 for allegedly possessing 18 litres of liquor recovered from a motorcycle he owned. He argued that he had no prior criminal record, was not in possession of the liquor at the time of arrest, and was unaware that another individual, Abhijeet Kumar, misused his vehicle. The State opposed his request for anticipatory bail. The Court, after considering the submissions, granted provisional anticipatory bail subject to a bail bond of Rs.500 with two sureties and conditions under Section 438(2) of the Cr.P.C. and Section 482(2) of the B.N.S.S. The order is conditional on verification of the petitioner’s antecedents; if a prior case is found, the bail will not be confirmed, otherwise it will be confirmed.
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 ownership of the vehicle from which liquor was recovered can be equated with possession for the purpose of Sections 30(a) and 32 of the Act.
Legislation cited
- Bihar Prohibition and Excise (Amendment) Act, 2018 — s. 30(a), 32
- B.N.S.S. — s. 482(2)
- Criminal Procedure Code — s. 438(2)
Subjects
- anticipatory bail
- possession
- vehicle ownership
- excise law
- clean antecedent
- Section 438 CrPC
Judgment
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.32833 of 2026
Arising Out of PS. Case No.-619 Year-2025 Thana- Excise P.S. District- Gopalganj
======================================================
Pappu Tiwari S/o Uma Tiwari R/o Village - Khajuriya Kalyanpur, P.S. -
Bhore, District - Gopalganj
... ... Petitioner/s
Versus
The State of Bihar
... ... Opposite Party/s
======================================================
Appearance :
For the Petitioner/s : Mr. Baijnath Sah, Advocate
For the Opposite Party/s : Mr. Chandra Sen Prasad Singh, A.P.P.
======================================================
CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SATYAVRAT VERMA
ORAL ORDER
2 13-05-2026 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 offences punishable under Sections 30(a) and
32 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 18 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
and, thus, would create evidence against himself and, hence,
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.32833 of 2026(2) dt.13-05-2026
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would get implicated. It is also submitted that petitioner was
completely unaware that Abhijeet Kumar 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 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 Gopalganj Excise
P.S. Case No. 619 of 2025, 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
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.32833 of 2026(2) dt.13-05-2026
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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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