Patna High Court
SAVITRI DEVI @ SAVITRI SINGHversusThe State of Bihar
- Decided
- Disposal
- BAIL GRANTED
- Bench
- CHANDRA SHEKHAR JHA
Holding
The court held that the dispute is primarily civil and the assault allegations are general, therefore granting bail to the petitioner.
Summary
The petitioner, Savitri Devi, sought bail in a criminal case (PS Case No. 219 of 2023) where she was accused of assault and other offences arising from a land dispute. The FIR alleged that she, along with co‑accused, assaulted the informant during a land measurement, with the land having been transferred from her husband to the informant. The petitioner argued that the dispute was essentially civil and that the assault allegations were vague and omnibus. The State opposed bail, but the informant’s counsel could not refute the petitioner’s factual submissions. Observing that the matter was primarily a civil dispute and the allegations were general, the court granted bail on a bond of Rs. 10,000 with two sureties, subject to Section 482(2) of the BNSS.
Issues considered
- Whether bail should be granted to the petitioner despite charges under multiple IPC sections.
- Whether the underlying land dispute renders the criminal allegations merely civil in nature.
- Whether the allegations of assault are sufficiently specific to deny bail.
Legislation cited
- BNSS — s. 482
- Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 — s. 482
- Indian Penal Code — s. 323, 34, 341, 354, 379, 420, 447, 504, 506
Subjects
- bail
- civil dispute
- land dispute
- IPC offences
- women
- general allegation
- Section 482
- Patna High Court
Judgment
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.65684 of 2024
Arising Out of PS. Case No.-219 Year-2023 Thana- MANER District- Patna
======================================================
SAVITRI DEVI @ SAVITRI SINGH Wife of Sidh Kumar Singh, Resident of
Village - Tiwari Tola, Maner, P.S.- Maner, District – Patna. ... ... Petitioner/s
Versus
The State of Bihar. ... ... Opposite Party/s
======================================================
Appearance :
For the Petitioner/s : Mr.Saurav Kumar Suman, Advocate
Mr. Braj Bhushan Mishra, Advocate
For the Opposite Party/s : Mr.Narendra Kumar Singh, APP
For the Informant : Mr. Rikesh Singh, Advocate
Mr. Rakesh Kumar, Advocate
======================================================
CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE CHANDRA SHEKHAR JHA
ORAL ORDER
3 03-02-2026 Heard learned counsel appearing on behalf of the
petitioner, learned Additional Public Prosecutor appearing on
behalf of the State and learned counsel appearing for the
informant.
2. The accused/petitioner apprehending her arrest in
connection with Maner P.S. Case No. 219 of 2023 registered for
the offences punishable under Sections 447, 341, 323, 354, 504,
506, 379 and 420 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code.
3. As per FIR, petitioner alleged to assault informant
alongwith other co-accused persons/family members, while some
dispute surfaced during measuring of land in issue, which was
purchased by the informant from one Ashok Kumar Singh, who
further purchased the land in issue from the husband of this
petitioner, namely, Sidh Kumar Singh.
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.65684 of 2024(3) dt.03-02-2026
2/3
4. It is submitted by learned counsel appearing on
behalf of the petitioner that even the land in issue was not sold by
this petitioner and for the simple reason as the land in issue once
belongs to the husband of the petitioner, she was implicated with
very much general and omnibus allegation qua physical assault. It
is submitted that dispute primarily appears civil in nature.
5. Learned APP opposed the prayer of bail.
6. Learned counsel Mr. Rikesh Singh, appearing on
behalf of the informant, while opposing the prayer of bail could not
disputed the aforesaid factual submission as submitted by learned
counsel appearing for the petitioner.
7. In view of aforesaid factual submissions and by
taking note of fact as primarily dispute appears civil in nature,
where the petitioner appears remotely connected with alleged land
in issue coupled with the fact the allegation qua physical assault
appears very much general and omnibus in nature, accordingly,
above named petitioner, who is a lady, in the event of her arrest or
surrender before the learned trial Court, within a period of four
weeks of the order, is directed to be released on bail furnishing bail
bond of Rs. 10,000/- (Rupees Ten Thousand) with two sureties of
the like amount each to the satisfaction of the learned Additional
Sessions Judge-V, Danapur/concerned Court, where the case is
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.65684 of 2024(3) dt.03-02-2026
3/3
pending in connection with Maner P.S. Case No. 219 of 2023
subject to the conditions as laid down under Section 482(2) of the
BNSS.
(Chandra Shekhar Jha, J)
veena/-
U T
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