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Patna High Court

Prabhat KumarversusThe State of Bihar

Decided
Disposal
DISPOSED

Holding

The application for anticipatory bail is allowed, granting provisional bail subject to conditions and verification of antecedents.

Summary

Petitioner Prabhat Kumar applied for anticipatory bail under Section 438 of the Criminal Procedure Code in a case registered under Sections 30(a) and 41(i) of the Excise Act for alleged recovery of 361.875 litres of liquor from two vehicles. He argued that he has a clean antecedent, was not in possession of the liquor, and was implicated only because he owned one of the seized vehicles while his driver allegedly misused it. The State opposed the bail. The Court, after considering the submissions, directed that the petitioner be released on provisional anticipatory bail upon furnishing bail bonds of Rs.500 each with two sureties, subject to verification of his criminal antecedent. If any antecedent is found, the bail will not be confirmed; otherwise, it will be confirmed. The application was allowed.

Issues considered

  • Whether the petitioner is entitled to anticipatory bail under Section 438 CrPC in the context of alleged offences under the Excise Act.
  • Whether ownership of the vehicle used in the alleged offence makes the owner liable for anticipatory bail denial.

Legislation cited

Subjects

  • anticipatory bail
  • Excise Act
  • liquor seizure
  • vehicle ownership
  • criminal antecedent

Judgment

                      IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
                              CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.37874 of 2026
                       Arising Out of PS. Case No.-275 Year-2025 Thana- GUTHANI District- Siwan
                 ======================================================
                 Prabhat Kumar S/o Vishnudeo Yadav Resident Of Village- Narepur West, P.S-
                 Bachhwara, District- Begusarai

                                                                                  ... ... Petitioner/s
                                                       Versus
                 The State of Bihar

                                                        ... ... Opposite Party/s
                 ======================================================
                 Appearance :
                 For the Petitioner/s     :       Mr.Saket Tiwary
                 For the Opposite Party/s :       Mr.Anil Kumar Singh No. 1
                 ======================================================
                 CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SATYAVRAT VERMA
                                       ORAL ORDER

2   17-06-2026                  1. Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and

                   learned APP for the State.

                                2. The petitioner seeks bail in anticipation of his

                   arrest in a case registered for the offences punishable under

                   Sections 30(a) and 41(i) of the Excise Act.

                                3. The learned counsel for the petitioner submits that

                   the petitioner is a person with clean antecedent and allegation is

                   of recovery of 361.875 litres of liquor from two vehicles.

                                4. The learned counsel for the petitioner submits that

                   petitioner was not arrested from the spot, as such, nothing was

                   recovered from his conscious possession and he came to be

                   implicated based on the fact that he is owner of one of the

                   seized Maruti Suzuki vehicle. It is next submitted that no

                   prudent person would use his own vehicle for committing a
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.37874 of 2026(2) dt.17-06-2026
                                            2/3




          crime and thus, would create evidence against himself and

          hence, would get implicated. It is further 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. opposes the anticipatory bail

          application.

                       6. Considering the submissions made by the learned

          counsel for the petitioner, the petitioner, above-named, in the

          event of his arrest or surrender before the learned Court below

          within a period of six weeks, is directed to be released on

          provisional anticipatory bail on his furnishing bail-bonds in the

          sum 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

          Guthni P. S. Case No.275 of 2025, subject to the conditions laid

          down under Section 438(2) of the Cr.P.C.

                       7. The application stands allowed.

                       8. It is made clear that the learned trial Court after

          accepting the provisional bail bonds of the petitioner shall verify

          the criminal antecedent of the petitioner and in the event, if it is

          found that petitioner has antecedent of even one case, then it

          would be presumed that petitioner for the purposes of obtaining
               Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.37874 of 2026(2) dt.17-06-2026
                                                           3/3




                         anticipatory bail had concealed his antecedent before this Court,

                         in that event, the present provisional anticipatory bail order shall

                         not be confirmed, but if on verification, it is found that

                         petitioner is a person with clean antecedent, in that event, the

                         provisional anticipatory bail order shall be confirmed forthwith.



                                                   (Satyavrat Verma, J)
vikash/-

U          T


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