Patna High Court
Ranjit Sahni @ Ranjit KumarversusThe State of Bihar
- Decided
- Disposal
- BAIL REJECTED
- Bench
- RAJIV ROY
Holding
Anticipatory bail was denied to the petitioner.
Summary
The petitioner, Ranjit Sahni, sought anticipatory bail fearing arrest in a dowry‑death case (IPC §§304B, 201, 34) arising from FIR No.153 of 2020 filed by informant Moti Sahni. The FIR alleged that Sahni had married a woman in 2019, tortured her for dowry and that she subsequently disappeared, with her body not recovered. Sahni contended he had no involvement and that the woman was missing, while the State argued the delay of five years in seeking bail and the disappearance of the informant’s daughter indicated his complicity. The Court noted that the FIR was lodged in 2020 and the petitioner only approached the court after a considerable lapse, with the alleged victim remaining untraceable. Consequently, the Court found no basis to grant relief and rejected the anticipatory bail application.
Issues considered
- Whether anticipatory bail can be granted to the petitioner under IPC §§304B, 201, 34 given the nature of the allegations and the delay in filing the application.
Legislation cited
- Indian Penal Code — s. 201, 304B, 34
Subjects
- anticipatory bail
- dowry death
- IPC 304B
- IPC 201
- IPC 34
- criminal procedure
- bail denial
- missing person
Judgment
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.76070 of 2025
Arising Out of PS. Case No.-153 Year-2020 Thana- PAROO District- Muzaffarpur
======================================================
Ranjit Sahni @ Ranjit Kumar Son of Nawal Sahni Village- Bhagwatpur PS
-Paroo District -Muzaffarpur Bihar
... ... Petitioner/s
Versus
The State of Bihar
... ... Opposite Party/s
======================================================
Appearance :
For the Petitioner/s : Mr. Yugal Kishore, Advocate
For the Opposite Party/s : Mr. Jitendra Kumar Singh, APP
======================================================
CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE RAJIV ROY
ORAL ORDER
3 24-02-2026 Heard Mrs. Rupa Kumar, learned counsel for the
petitioner and the State.
2. The petitioner is apprehending his arrest in
connection with Paroo P.S. Case No. 153 of 2020 for the offence
under sections 304B, 201 and 34 of the IPC lodged on
15.03.2020 by the informant, Moti Sahni.
3. As per the prosecution story, the informant alleged
that the lady was married to this petitioner in the year 2019 but
was always tortured for dowry. On 15.03.2020, he had a
telephonic conversation but thereafter, the mobile was off and
when they went to the place, came to know that she has been
killed and even they failed to locate the body. This led to the
FIR.
4. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that he
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.76070 of 2025(3) dt.24-02-2026
2/2
has no role to play in the matter and the lady disappeared.
5. Learned APP, Mr. Jitendra Kumar Singh opposes
the prayer submitting that the FIR is of the year 2020, the
daughter of the informant disappeared, she could not been
located and the petitioner chose to sat over the matter which
clearly shows his complicity.
6. Considering the submission of the parties as also
that the FIR is of the year 2020, the petitioner has taken route to
legal remedy after five years, his wife is traceless and it is not
the case of the petitioner that he lodged any FIR to locate her, in
that background, no relief can be granted to the petitioner.
7. The anticipatory bail application stands rejected.
(Rajiv Roy, J)
Adnan/-
U T
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