Patna High Court
Jay Prakash Ray @ Jay Prakash Kumar @ Jaiprakash Kumar RaiversusThe State of Bihar
- Decided
- Disposal
- DISPOSED
- Bench
- SATYAVRAT VERMA
Holding
The court granted provisional anticipatory bail to the petitioner, subject to a bail bond, sureties, a deposit with the Advocates’ Association, and verification of his criminal antecedents.
Summary
The petitioner, Jay Prakash Ray, sought anticipatory bail fearing arrest in a case under Section 30(a) of the Bihar Excise Act concerning alleged recovery of 180 litres of liquor from a bamboo orchard. He argued that the liquor was not in his possession, the location did not belong to him, and the informants (chowkidar and a local) failed to report his involvement earlier, casting doubt on the prosecution's case. The State opposed the bail. The High Court, after considering the submissions, granted provisional anticipatory bail conditioned on a bail bond of Rs.15,000 with two sureties and required the petitioner to deposit Rs.2,500 with the Advocates’ Association. The order also stipulated that the trial court verify the petitioner’s criminal antecedents; if more than three prior cases are found, the bail would not be confirmed. The provisional bail is thus granted subject to verification and compliance with the conditions.
Issues considered
- Whether the petitioner is entitled to anticipatory bail in a case under Section 30(a) of the Bihar Excise Act.
- Whether the petitioner’s alleged lack of possession and the circumstances of the FIR justify granting bail.
- Whether the petitioner’s criminal antecedent (three prior excise cases) affects the grant of anticipatory bail.
Legislation cited
- Bihar Negotiable Securities Act (BNSS) — s. 482(2)
Subjects
- anticipatory bail
- excise law
- Bihar Excise Act
- Section 30(a)
- criminal antecedent
- provisional bail
- high court order
Judgment
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.4047 of 2026
Arising Out of PS. Case No.-280 Year-2025 Thana- AMNAUR District- Saran
======================================================
Jay Prakash Ray @ Jay Prakash Kumar @ Jaiprakash Kumar Rai Son of
Krishna Ray Resident of Village- Bichla Telpa, P.S.- Town, District- Saran
... ... Petitioner/s
Versus
The State of Bihar
... ... Opposite Party/s
======================================================
Appearance :
For the Petitioner/s : Mr. Alok Kumar Alok
For the Opposite Party/s : Mr. Pradeep Narain Kumar
======================================================
CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SATYAVRAT VERMA
ORAL ORDER
2 29-01-2026 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 Section 30(a) of the
Bihar Excise Act.
3. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that
petitioner has antecedent of three cases under the excise act and
allegation is of recovery of 180 liters of liquor from a place near
a bamboo orchard.
4. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that
petitioner was not apprehended from the spot as such nothing
was recovered from his conscious possession and even alleged
recovery is from a place which does not belong to the petitioner
and is accessible to villagers at large and he came to be
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.4047 of 2026(2) dt.29-01-2026
2/3
implicated at the instance of Chowkidar and local person, but
then it is submitted that if Chowkidar and local person were
aware of the involvement of the petitioner in the occurrence
then why they did not inform the police prior to institution of
the instant FIR which casts an aspersion on the case of the
prosecution. It is also submitted that once an accused is
implicated in a case relating to excise, the police starts
implicating mechanically either at the instance of Chowkidar,
local person, confessional statement or secret information
without holding a proper investigation.
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 for the petitioner, the petitioner above-named, in the
event of his arrest or surrender before the learned Trial Court
within a period of six weeks from today, be released on
Provisional anticipatory bail on furnishing bail bonds of Rs.
15,000/- (Rupees Fifteen Thousand) 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 Amnaur
P.S. Case No. 280 of 2025 subject to the conditions as laid down
under Section 482 (2) of the BNSS.
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.4047 of 2026(2) dt.29-01-2026
3/3
7. It is made clear that thereafter the learned Trial
Court shall verify the criminal antecedent of the petitioner and
in the event if it is found that petitioner has antecedent of more
than three cases then it would be presumed that petitioner, for
the purposes of seeking anticipatory bail, had concealed his
antecedent before this Court, as such, the provisional
anticipatory bail order shall not be confirmed, but after
verification if it is found that petitioner has antecedent of three
cases only, in that event the provisional anticipatory bail order
shall be confirmed forthwith.
8. At this stage, the learned counsel for the petitioner,
based on instruction, undertakes to deposit an amount of Rs.
2500/- with Advocates’ Association, Patna High Court within a
period of two weeks from today.
(Satyavrat Verma, J)
Rishabh/-
U T
Checking your session…