Patna High Court
Premi Sahani @ Prami SahaniversusThe State of Bihar
- Decided
- Disposal
- DISPOSED
- Bench
- SATYAVRAT VERMA
Holding
Provisional anticipatory bail was granted to the petitioner subject to specified conditions.
Summary
Petitioner Premi Sahani sought anticipatory bail after being implicated in a case under Section 30(a) of the Bihar Prohibition and Excise (Amendment) Act for allegedly transporting 7 litres of liquor in his motorcycle. He argued that he had no knowledge of the liquor, was not in actual possession, and was merely the vehicle owner, with the alleged offender Bhulan using the vehicle without his consent. The State opposed the bail. The Court granted provisional anticipatory bail, requiring a bail bond of Rs.500 with two sureties, verification of the petitioner's criminal antecedents, and a deposit of Rs.1500 with the Advocates’ Association. The order stipulated that if any antecedent is discovered, the bail would not be confirmed; otherwise, it would be confirmed forthwith.
Issues considered
- Whether the petitioner is entitled to anticipatory bail in a case under Section 30(a) of the Bihar Prohibition and Excise (Amendment) Act.
- Whether ownership of the vehicle, without actual possession of the contraband, suffices to justify arrest.
- What conditions may be imposed under Section 482(2) of the B.N.S.S. when granting provisional anticipatory bail.
Legislation cited
- B.N.S.S. — s. 482(2)
Subjects
- anticipatory bail
- bail bond
- vehicle ownership
- liquor seizure
- Bihar Prohibition Act
- criminal procedure
Judgment
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.4758 of 2026
Arising Out of PS. Case No.-39 Year-2018 Thana- SUGAULI District- East Champaran
======================================================
Premi Sahani @ Prami Sahani S/o Tulsi Sahani Resident of village
-Bairathpur, P.S.- Majhauliya, Distt.- West Champaran
... ... Petitioner/s
Versus
The State of Bihar
... ... Opposite Party/s
======================================================
Appearance :
For the Petitioner/s : Mr. Abhishek Kumar
For the Opposite Party/s : Mr. Shyam Bihari Singh
======================================================
CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SATYAVRAT VERMA
ORAL ORDER
2 31-01-2026 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 offence punishable under Section 30(a) of
Bihar Prohibition and Excise (Amendment) Act.
3. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that
petitioner is a person with clean antecedent and allegation is of
recovery of 7 litres of liquor from a motorcycle. It is next
submitted 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 the
seized vehicle. It is next submitted that no prudent person would
use his own vehicle for committing an occurrence and thus
would create evidence against himself and hence would get
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.4758 of 2026(2) dt.31-01-2026
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implicated. It is also submitted that the petitioner was
completely unaware that Bhulan would misuse his vehicle in the
manner as alleged, who was also apprehended from the spot.
4. Learned A.P.P. for the State opposes the prayer for
anticipatory bail of the petitioner.
5. 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 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 Sugauli
P.S. Case No.39/2018, subject to the conditions as laid down
under Section 482(2) of the B.N.S.S.
6. It is made clear that the learned trial court thereafter
shall verify the criminal antecedents of the petitioner and in the
event if it is found that petitioner has antecedent of even one
case, in that event, it would be presumed that petitioner had
concealed his antecedent before this court, as such, the
provisional anticipatory bail order shall not be confirmed but if
on verification it is found that petitioner is a person with clean
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.4758 of 2026(2) dt.31-01-2026
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antecedent, in that event the provisional anticipatory bail order
shall be confirmed forthwith.
7. At this stage, the learned counsel for the petitioner
based on instruction submits that petitioner undertakes to
deposit an amount of Rs.1500/- with Advocates’ Association,
Patna High Court within a period of two weeks from today.
(Satyavrat Verma, J)
amit/-
U T
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