Patna High Court
Ranjana DeviversusThe State of Bihar
- Decided
- Disposal
- BAIL GRANTED
- Bench
- CHANDRA SHEKHAR JHA
Holding
The Court granted bail to the petitioner, finding insufficient material to justify continued detention.
Summary
Ranjana Devi, the Mukhiya of Darbey‑Bhadaur Gram Panchayat, was named in an FIR (Pandarak PS Case No. 14 of 2018) for alleged misappropriation of government project funds in collusion with a junior engineer, invoking IPC sections 409, 420 and 34. She contended that her statutory role was limited to sanctioning projects and that there was no material evidence linking her personally to the crime, emphasizing her clean antecedent. The State opposed her bail application. The Court, noting her gender, clean record and the lack of substantive proof, ordered that she be released on bail upon furnishing a bond of Rs 10,000 with two sureties, subject to the conditions of Section 482(2) of the Criminal Procedure Code. The order was directed to be complied with by the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate‑I, Barh, where the trial is pending.
Issues considered
- Whether the petitioner, as Panchayat Mukhiya, can be held criminally liable for alleged misappropriation of government funds under IPC sections 409, 420 and 34.
- Whether bail should be granted in the absence of concrete material linking the petitioner to the alleged offence.
Legislation cited
- Criminal Procedure Code — s. 482(2)
- Indian Penal Code — s. 34, 409, 420
Subjects
- bail
- misappropriation of government funds
- IPC 409
- IPC 420
- IPC 34
- Panchayat
- clean antecedent
- gender
Judgment
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.34157 of 2026
Arising Out of PS. Case No.-14 Year-2018 Thana- PANDARAK District- Patna
======================================================
Ranjana Devi Wife of Sri Shiv Shankar Singh, Resident of Village - Darbey,
P.S. - Bhadaur, District – Patna. ... ... Petitioner/s
Versus
The State of Bihar. ... ... Opposite Party/s
======================================================
Appearance :
For the Petitioner/s : Mr. Ajay Kumar Thakur, Advocate
Mr.Purushottam Kumar, Advocate
For the Opposite Party/s : Mr.Nand Kumar, APP
======================================================
CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE CHANDRA SHEKHAR JHA
ORAL ORDER
2 09-06-2026 Mentioning of petitioner was accepted as petitioner
is a lady.
2. Heard learned counsel appearing on behalf of
the petitioner and learned Additional Public Prosecutor
appearing on behalf of the State.
3. The accused/petitioner is named in the FIR and
apprehending her arrest in connection with Pandarak P.S.
Case No. 14 of 2018 registered for the offences punishable
under Sections 409, 420/34 of the Indian Penal Code.
4. The allegation against the petitioner is to
misappropriate the Government money of different projects,
which is the part of the F.I.R. in connivance with Junior Engineer.
5. It is submitted by Mr. Ajay Kumar Thakur, learned
counsel appearing for the petitioner that the active involvement
regarding payment and monitoring of project was the
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.34157 of 2026(2) dt.09-06-2026
2/2
responsibilities of Panchayat Secretary. It is submitted that being
Mukhiya of the Panchayat, the duty of the petitioner is only to
sanction/approve the project. It is submitted that merely on the
basis of suspicion, as petitioner is the Mukhiya of the Darbey-
Bhadaur Gram Panchayat, she was implicated without any cogent
material. Petitioner claimed clean antecedent.
6. Learned APP opposed the prayer of bail.
7. In view of aforesaid factual submissions and by
taking note of fact as petitioner is a lady of clean antecedent
accordingly, above named petitioner, in the event of her arrest or
surrender before the learned trial Court, within a period of four
weeks of the order, is directed to be released on bail furnishing
bail bond of Rs. 10,000/- (Rupees Ten Thousand) with two
sureties of the like amount each to the satisfaction of the learned
Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate-I, Barh/concerned Court,
where the case is pending in connection with Pandarak P.S. Case
No. 14 of 2018 subject to the conditions as laid down under
Section 482(2) of the BNSS.
(Chandra Shekhar Jha, J)
veena/-
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