Patna High Court

Urmila DeviversusThe State of Bihar

Decided: 17 January 2026
Disposal: BAIL REJECTED
Bench: PRABHAT KUMAR SINGH

Holding

Anticipatory bail was refused due to the unexplained sixteen‑year delay.

Summary

The petitioner, Urmila Devi, filed a second anticipatory bail petition in 2026, seeking relief after a previous petition was rejected in 2009. The petition was filed 16 years after the original rejection, with no explanation for the delay. The court examined whether anticipatory bail could be granted after such a prolonged lapse. Considering the unexplained 16‑year delay, the court found no sufficient cause to entertain the relief. Consequently, the anticipatory bail petition was refused.

Issues considered

Whether anticipatory bail can be granted after a delay of sixteen years without a valid explanation

Subjects

anticipatory bail
delay
criminal procedure
bail
high court

Judgment

                      IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
                              CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.86350 of 2025
                      Arising Out of PS. Case No.-263 Year-2008 Thana- KANTI District- Muzaffarpur
                 ======================================================
                 Urmila Devi W/o Ramadhar Singh Resident of village - Mani Fulkahan, P.S -
                 Kanti (Panapur O.P), District - Muzaffarpur

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

                                                        ... ... Opposite Party/s
                 ======================================================
                 Appearance :
                 For the Petitioner/s     :        Mr. Raju Kumar, Advocate
                 For the Opposite Party/s :        Mr. Shantanu Kumar, A.P.P.
                 ======================================================
                 CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE PRABHAT KUMAR SINGH
                                       ORAL ORDER

2   17-01-2026                   Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and the State.
                                2. This is second anticipatory bail petition. Earlier, the
                   petition, filed for grant of anticipatory bail on behalf of
                   petitioner, stood rejected, vide order dated 12.11.2009 passed in
                   Cr. Misc. No. 16136 of 2009.
                                3. Learned counsel for the petitioner has renewed the
                   prayer for bail of the petitioner after lapse of 16 years without
                   any reasonable explanation for the delay.
                                4. Considering the aforesaid lapse of 16 years without
                   any valid explanation, instant anticipatory bail of the petitioner
                   is refused.



                                          (Prabhat Kumar Singh, J)
Navya/-

U         T

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