Created by Fuzzy Cloud

Patna High Court

Sajid HussainversusThe State of Bihar

Decided
Disposal
BAIL GRANTED

Holding

The court held that the petitioners are entitled to bail as the evidence is not strong enough to justify continued detention and their youth and clean record merit release on condition.

Summary

The petitioners, two young men aged about 19, applied for bail in a case registered under Sections 103(1), 140(1) and 61(2) of the B.N.S. for alleged kidnapping, ransom demand and murder. The prosecution’s case is based on CCTV footage showing the petitioners on a motorcycle with the deceased as a pillion rider, a confessional statement, and a call detail record indicating they were at home. The petitioners argued that the CCTV does not clearly identify them, there is no eye‑witness, and the material does not establish motive; they also highlighted their lack of criminal antecedent and the fact that only one of seven witnesses had been examined. The State and the opposite party opposed bail, contending that the diary contains material showing complicity. The court, noting the absence of direct evidence, the youth of the accused, and the lack of a clear motive, granted bail on a bond of Rs.10,000 with two sureties and imposed conditions regarding court attendance and parental suretyship.

Issues considered

  • Whether bail should be granted to accused under Sections 103(1), 140(1) and 61(2) of the B.N.S. when the evidence is primarily circumstantial.
  • Whether the CCTV footage and the confessional statement constitute sufficient grounds to deny bail.
  • Whether the age of the accused and their clean criminal record warrant the grant of bail.

Legislation cited

  • B.N.S. — s. 103(1), 140(1), 61(2)

Subjects

  • bail
  • circumstantial evidence
  • CCTV footage
  • confessional statement
  • juvenile accused
  • Bihar criminal law

Judgment

                     IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
                             CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.73258 of 2025
                  Arising Out of PS. Case No.-401 Year-2025 Thana- SIKARPUR District- West Champaran
                 ======================================================
                 Sajid Hussain S/O Nabi Hussain R/O Vill.- Maldahiya Pokhariya, P.S.-
                 Shikarpur, Dist.- West Champaran.

                                                                                  ... ... Petitioner/s
                                                       Versus
                 The State of Bihar

                                                        ... ... Opposite Party/s
                 ======================================================
                                                         with
                             CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No. 74296 of 2025
                  Arising Out of PS. Case No.-401 Year-2025 Thana- SIKARPUR District- West Champaran
                 ======================================================
                 FAIZ ARSHAD Son of Meraj Ali R/o Maldahiya, P.S.- Shikarpur, District -
                 West Champaran, Bihar.

                                                                                  ... ... Petitioner/s
                                                       Versus
                 The State of Bihar

                                                        ... ... Opposite Party/s
                 ======================================================
                 Appearance :
                 (In CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No. 73258 of 2025)
                 For the Petitioner/s :  Mr. Ashok Kumar Gupta, Advocate
                 For the State        :  Mr. Binod Kumar, APP
                 For the O.P. No.2    :  Ms. Swati Priya, Advocate
                 (In CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No. 74296 of 2025)
                 For the Petitioner/s :  Mr. Ravi Ranjan Dixit, Advocate
                 For the State        :  Ms. Sharda Kumari, APP
                 For the O.P. No.2    :  Ms. Swati Priya, Advocate
                 ======================================================
                 CORAM: HONOURABLE JUSTICE SMT. SONI SHRIVASTAVA
                                       ORAL ORDER

4   11-02-2026                 As both these bail applications arise out of the same

                   police station case number, hence they are being heard together

                   and disposed of by this common order.

                                  2. Heard learned counsels for the petitioners,

                   learned APP for the State and learned counsel for the opposite

                   party no.2.
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.73258 of 2025(4) dt.11-02-2026
                                            2/4




                         3. The petitioners seek bail in a case registered for

          the offence punishable under Sections 103(1), 140(1), 61(2) of

          the B.N.S.

                         4. As per the prosecution case, the informant

          alleged that unknown persons had abducted his son, demanded

          ransom, and threatened to murder him if the demand was not

          fulfilled.

                         5. The learned counsels for the petitioners submits

          that the present F.I.R. has been lodged against unknown as

          there is no eye-witness to the case. The petitioners have been

          implicated on the basis of the CCTV footage in which these

          petitioners have been identified as being sitting on the

          motorcycle along with the deceased sitting as pillion rider at

          the back. It is further submitted that neither the face nor the

          motorcycle number is clearly visible in the CCTV footage yet

          only on the basis of some vague suspicion, these petitioners

          have been made accused. Besides the said CCTV footage, the

          other material is the confessional statement of the petitioners

          during investigation admitting their guilt. Further submission is

          that paragraph no.99 of the case diary contains the CDR of

          both the petitioners, which makes it clear that they were

          through out in their own house and they had no motive
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.73258 of 2025(4) dt.11-02-2026
                                            3/4




          whatsoever to commit the kidnapping or cause the death of the

          deceased. The petitioners are young boys, aged about 19 years

          and are in custody since 17.04.2025 and the present stage of the

          case is that after framing of charges on 24.11.2025, one out of

          seven witnesses has been examined, as submitted by the

          learned counsels for the petitioners. It is thus submitted that

          there is no likelihood of conclusion of trial in the near future

          and the petitioners have no criminal antecedent.

                         6. Learned APP for the State and learned counsel

          for the opposite party no.2 have vehemently opposed the grant

          of bail and it has been pointed out that there are materials in the

          case diary to show the complicity of the petitioners.

                         7. Taking into consideration the facts and

          circumstances and considering the fact that the case is not

          based upon any direct evidence but upon circumstantial

          evidence of deceased last seen in the company of the

          petitioners, coupled with the fact that the petitioners are young

          boys, who are in custody since 17.04.2025 and charges have

          already been framed, let the above named petitioners, who have

          no criminal antecedent, be released on bail on furnishing bail

          bond of Rs. 10,000/- (Rupees Ten Thousand) each with two

          sureties of the like amount each to the satisfaction of the
            Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.73258 of 2025(4) dt.11-02-2026
                                                        4/4




                      learned District and Additional Sessions Judge-2nd, Bettiah,

                      West Champaran/concerned Court below in connection with

                      Shikarpur P.S. Case No. 401 of 2021 subject to condition that :

                                              (i) Fathers of both the petitioners would stand as
                              one of the bailors.
                                              (ii)    The petitioners shall remain physically
                              present in court on each and every date during trial and in the
                              event of failure on two consecutive dates without sufficient
                              reasons, their bail bonds shall be liable to be cancelled by the
                              learned court concerned.



                                                (Soni Shrivastava, J)
anand/-
U       T


Continue reading with your account

Sign in to read the full judgment. It’s free.

Sign in to read

Checking your session…

For a signed copy suitable for filing, refer to the court's website.