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Patna High Court

Sunil MandalversusThe State of Bihar

Decided
Disposal
BAIL GRANTED

Holding

The court held that due to the petitioner’s clean antecedent and the non‑compliance of Sections 103 and 105 of the BNSS 2023, bail should be granted.

Summary

Sunil Mandal was arrested on 3 May 2026 in connection with a case involving the alleged illegal possession of 300 litres of Nepali liquor, charged under Sections 274 and 275 of the Bihar Narcotic Substances Act (BNSS) and Section 30(a) of the Bihar Prohibition & Excise Act. The petitioner argued that he has a clean antecedent, that the seized liquor was recovered from the place of occurrence and not from his conscious possession, and that the investigation violated Sections 103 and 105 of the BNSS, 2023. The State opposed bail. The court, noting the lack of direct possession, the petitioner’s clean record, and the procedural lapses, ordered his release on bail with a bond of Rs. 10,000 and two sureties, subject to conditions of cooperation, appearance, and non‑tampering with evidence. The bail bond is to be verified by the Special Judge Excise, Madhubani, and may be cancelled on breach of conditions.

Issues considered

  • Whether bail should be granted when the accused is alleged to be involved in offences under Sections 274, 275 of BNSS and Section 30(a) of the Bihar Prohibition & Excise Act.
  • Whether non‑compliance of Sections 103 and 105 of the BNSS, 2023, warrants the grant of bail.
  • Whether the fact that the seized liquor was not found in the accused’s conscious possession affects the bail decision.

Legislation cited

Subjects

  • bail
  • narcotic offences
  • excise
  • procedural compliance
  • seizure
  • clean antecedent

Judgment

                      IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
                              CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.39392 of 2026
                   Arising Out of PS. Case No.-72 Year-2026 Thana- MADHWAPUR District- Madhubani
                 ======================================================
                 Sunil Mandal S/o Maheshwar Mandal R/o - Bhima Makresar, P.S - Pupari,
                 District - Sitamarhi

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

                                                        ... ... Opposite Party/s
                 ======================================================
                 Appearance :
                 For the Petitioner/s     :      Mr. Sanjay Kumar Jha, Advocate
                 For the Opposite Party/s :      Mr. Akbar Ali, APP
                 ======================================================
                 CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE RAJESH KUMAR VERMA
                                       ORAL ORDER

2   23-06-2026                    Heard Mr. Sanjay Kumar Jha, learned counsel for

                   the petitioner and Mr. Akbar Ali, learned APP for the State.

                                2. Petitioner seeks bail, who is in custody since

                   03.05.2026, in connection with Madhwapur P.S. Case No. 72 of

                   2026, F.I.R. dated 03.05.2026               registered for the offences

                   punishable under Sections 274, 275 of the B.N.S. and Section

                   30(a) of the Bihar Prohibition & Excise Act.

                                3. Recovery is of 300.00 litres of Nepali country

                   made liquor.

                                4. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the

                   petitioner has clean antecedent and he has been falsely

                   implicated in the present case.             He further submits that it

                   appears from the F.I.R. as well as seizure list that nothing has

                   been recovered from the conscious possession of the petitioner
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.39392 of 2026(2) dt.23-06-2026
                                            2/3




          rather recovery has been made from the place of occurrence and

          petitioner has been made accused merely on the basis of

          suspicion and except the suspicion, nothing has come during

          investigation to suggest the involvement of the petitioner in the

          present occurrence. It appears from the seizure list that the

          seizure list witnesses are police personnel so          there is non-

          compliance of Sections 103 and 105 of BNSS, 2023 and the

          petitioner is in custody since 03.05.2026.

                        5. The learned Additional Public Prosecutor for the

          State has vehemently opposed the prayer for               bail of the

          petitioner.

                        6. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case

          and the fact that the petitioner having clean antecedent and

          nothing has been recovered from the conscious possession of

          the petitioner and there is non-compliance of Sections 103 and

          105 of the BNSS, 2023, let the petitioner, above named, be

          released on bail on furnishing bail bond of Rs. 10,000/- (Rupees

          Ten Thousand) with two sureties of the like amount each to the

          satisfaction of        learned       Exclusive Special Judge Excise,

          Madhubani in connection with Madhwapur P.S. Case No. 72 of

          2026, subject to the following conditions :-

                        (1) Petitioner shall co-operate in the trial and shall be
               Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.39392 of 2026(2) dt.23-06-2026
                                                           3/3




                         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.

                                      (2) If the petitioner tampers with the evidence or the

                         witness, in that case, the prosecution will be at liberty to move

                         for cancellation of bail.

                                      (3) 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

                         criminal antecedents, 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)
Ibrar//-

U          T


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