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Patna High Court

Vishal KumarversusThe State of Bihar

Decided
Disposal
DISPOSED

Holding

The Court ordered provisional anticipatory bail for the petitioner, subject to bond, sureties and verification of his criminal antecedent.

Summary

Vishal Kumar, the owner of a vehicle from which 243 litres of liquor were seized, sought anticipatory bail fearing arrest under Section 30(a) of the Bihar Prohibition and Excise (Amendment) Act, 2022. He argued he had a clean antecedent, was not in possession of the liquor, and was unaware that his friend misused his vehicle. The State opposed the bail. The High Court, considering these submissions, granted provisional anticipatory bail conditioned on a Rs.500 bond with two sureties and compliance with Section 438(2) of the Cr.P.C. and Section 482(2) of the B.N.S.S. The court further directed the trial court to verify the petitioner’s criminal antecedent, confirming bail only if he is found to have a clean record.

Issues considered

  • Whether anticipatory bail should be granted to the petitioner under Section 438 Cr.P.C.
  • Whether ownership of the vehicle used in the alleged offence suffices to implicate the petitioner under Section 30(a) of the Bihar Prohibition and Excise (Amendment) Act, 2022
  • Whether the petitioner’s alleged clean antecedent affects the confirmation of anticipatory bail

Legislation cited

Subjects

  • anticipatory bail
  • Section 30(a)
  • Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act
  • vehicle ownership
  • liquor seizure
  • criminal antecedent
  • Cr.P.C. 438

Judgment

                      IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
                              CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.39324 of 2026
                     Arising Out of PS. Case No.-241 Year-2025 Thana- BARGAINIA District- Sitamarhi
                 ======================================================
                 Vishal Kumar Son of Ramashish Sah Resident of Village- Saraiya, Ward No.
                 12, P.S.- Madhuban, District- East Champaran.
                                                                           ... ... Petitioner/s
                                                     Versus
                 The State of Bihar
                                                                    ... ... Opposite Party/s
                 ======================================================
                 Appearance :
                 For the Petitioner/s     :        Mr. Subodh Kumar, Advocate
                 For the Opposite Party/s :        Md. Shakir Ahmad, A.P.P.
                 ======================================================
                 CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SATYAVRAT VERMA
                                       ORAL ORDER

2   22-06-2026                  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, 2022.

                                3. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that

                   petitioner is a person with clean antecedent and allegation is of

                   recovery of 243 litres of liquor from two motorcycles.

                                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.39324 of 2026(2) dt.22-06-2026
                                            2/3




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

          petitioner was completely unaware that his friend 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 Bargainia P.S. Case

          No. 241 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

          shall not be confirmed but if it is found on verification that
           Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.39324 of 2026(2) dt.22-06-2026
                                                       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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