Patna High Court
Shyam Sunder RamversusThe State of Bihar
- Decided
- Disposal
- DISPOSED
- Bench
- SATYAVRAT VERMA
Holding
The court held that provisional anticipatory bail may be granted, subject to verification of the petitioner’s antecedent, under Section 482(2) of the BNSS.
Summary
The petitioner, Shyam Sunder Ram, sought anticipatory bail fearing arrest in a case under Section 30(a) of the Bihar Excise Act, alleging that the alleged liquor recovery occurred on land adjacent to his house and was prompted by a hostile watchman. He argued that no liquor was found in his possession and that the police investigation was mechanically driven without proper inquiry. The State opposed the bail. The court, considering the submissions, granted provisional anticipatory bail on the condition that the petitioner surrender within six weeks, furnish bail bonds of Rs. 25,000 with two sureties, and that the trial court verify his criminal antecedent. The order stipulated that if more than five prior cases are found, the bail would not be confirmed; if five or fewer, the provisional bail would be confirmed. The decision was based on the court’s inherent powers under Section 482(2) of the BNSS.
Issues considered
- Whether anticipatory bail can be granted in a case under Section 30(a) of the Bihar Excise Act.
- Whether the alleged recovery of liquor and the police investigation justify denial of bail.
- Whether the petitioner’s criminal antecedent affects the grant of anticipatory bail.
Legislation cited
- Bihar Excise Act — s. 30(a)
- BNSS — s. 482(2)
Subjects
- anticipatory bail
- excise law
- Section 30(a)
- police investigation
- criminal antecedent
- Section 482(2) BNSS
Judgment
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.41699 of 2026
Arising Out of PS. Case No.-78 Year-2026 Thana- Manuapul District- West Champaran
======================================================
Shyam Sunder Ram S/o Late Kapil Dev Ram R/o Village - Chhavani, PS -
Manuapul, District - West Champaran
... ... Petitioner/s
The State of Bihar Bihar
... ... Opposite Party/s
======================================================
Appearance :
For the Petitioner/s : Mr.Bimlesh Kumar Pandey
For the Opposite Party/s : Mr.Rajesh Kumar
======================================================
CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SATYAVRAT VERMA
ORAL ORDER
2 30-06-2026 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 offences punishable under Section 30(a) of the
Bihar Excise Act.
3. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the
petitioner has antecedent of five cases out of which two cases
are under the Excise Act and allegation is of recovery of 39
litres of liquor from a place near the gate of the petitioner’s
house.
4. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the
petitioner was not arrested from the spot as such nothing was
recovered from his conscious possession and even the alleged
recovery is from a place which does not belong to the petitioner
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.41699 of 2026(2) dt.30-06-2026
2/3
but then is adjacent to his house and he came to be implicated
at the instance of Chowkidar with whom he is on an inimical
term. It is next submitted that if Chowkidar was aware about
the involvement of the petitioner in the occurrence, then why he
did not inform the police prior to institution of the instant FIR,
which casts an aspersion on the case of the prosecution. It is
further 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. 25,000/- (Rupees
Twenty-five 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 Manuapul P.S. Case
No. 78 of 2026, subject to the conditions as laid down under
Section 482(2) of the BNSS.
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.41699 of 2026(2) dt.30-06-2026
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 five
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 five cases, in that event the provisional anticipatory
bail order shall be confirmed forthwith.
(Satyavrat Verma, J)
Sumit/-
U T
Checking your session…
Lawyer court records for this case
Associated through the court’s case reference.