Patna High Court
Chhaparahi Devi @ Gita DeviversusThe State of Bihar
- Decided
- Disposal
- DISPOSED
- Bench
- SATYAVRAT VERMA
Holding
The court granted provisional anticipatory bail to the petitioner, subject to conditions and verification of her criminal antecedent.
Summary
Chhaparahi Devi, a woman with a clean criminal record, applied for anticipatory bail under Section 438 of the Criminal Procedure Code in connection with a case registered under Section 30(a) of the Excise Act for alleged possession of 15 litres of liquor. The petitioner argued that she was not arrested at the scene, the liquor was recovered from a location not belonging to her, and the investigation was based on secret information. The State opposed the bail. The High Court, after considering the submissions, directed that the petitioner be released on provisional anticipatory bail upon furnishing bail bonds of Rs.500 with two sureties, subject to verification of her antecedent. The court clarified that if any prior case is found, the bail would be presumed obtained by concealment and the order would not be confirmed; otherwise, it would be confirmed. The application for anticipatory bail was allowed.
Issues considered
- Whether anticipatory bail should be granted under Section 438 CrPC to a person accused of an offence under Section 30(a) of the Excise Act.
- Whether the absence of arrest and the petitioner’s clean antecedent justify the grant of anticipatory bail.
- What conditions should be imposed on the provisional anticipatory bail.
Legislation cited
- Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 — s. 438(2)
- Excise Act — s. 30(a)
Subjects
- anticipatory bail
- Section 438 CrPC
- Excise Act
- liquor offence
- clean antecedent
- provisional bail
Judgment
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.6123 of 2026
Arising Out of PS. Case No.-589 Year-2025 Thana- CHHATAUNI District- East Champaran
======================================================
Chhaparahi Devi @ Gita Devi W/O Bigu Sah Resident of Village - Indra
Nagar, P.S. - Chhatauni, District - East Champaran
... ... Petitioner/s
Versus
The State of Bihar
... ... Opposite Party/s
======================================================
Appearance :
For the Petitioner/s : Mr.Adarsh Ranjan
For the Opposite Party/s : Mr.Ashok Kumar Singh
======================================================
CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SATYAVRAT VERMA
ORAL ORDER
2 03-02-2026 1. Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and
learned APP for the State.
2. The petitioner seeks bail in anticipation of her
arrest in a case registered for the offences punishable under
Section 30(a) of the Excise Act.
3. The learned counsel for the petitioner submits that
the petitioner is a person with clean antecedent and is a woman
and allegation is of recovery of 15 litres of liquor from a sack
and a gallon.
4. The learned counsel for the petitioner submits that
petitioner was not arrested from the spot, as such, nothing was
recovered from her conscious possession and even alleged
recovery is from a place, which does not belong to the petitioner
and she came to be implicated based on secret information,
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.6123 of 2026(2) dt.03-02-2026
2/3
which is the easiest way to implicate someone without holding a
proper investigation, when admittedly petitioner is a person with
clean antecedent.
5. Learned A.P.P. opposes the anticipatory bail
application.
6. Considering the submissions made by the learned
counsel for the petitioner, the petitioner, above-named, in the
event of her arrest or surrender before the learned Court below
within a period of six weeks, is directed to be released on
provisional anticipatory bail on her furnishing bail-bonds in the
sum 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
Chhatauni P. S. Case No.589 of 2025, subject to the conditions
laid down under Section 438(2) of the Cr.P.C.
7. The application stands allowed.
8. It is made clear that the learned trial Court after
accepting the provisional bail bonds of the petitioner shall verify
the criminal antecedent of the petitioner and in the event, if it is
found that petitioner has antecedent of even one case, then it
would be presumed that petitioner for the purposes of obtaining
anticipatory bail had concealed her antecedent before this Court,
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.6123 of 2026(2) dt.03-02-2026
3/3
in that event, the present provisional anticipatory bail order shall
not be confirmed, but if on verification, it is found that
petitioner is a person with clean antecedent, in that event, the
provisional anticipatory bail order shall be confirmed forthwith.
(Satyavrat Verma, J)
vikash/-
U T
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