Patna High Court
Ranjeet Sah @ Ranjeet KumarversusThe State of Bihar
- Decided
- Disposal
- BAIL GRANTED
- Bench
- SATYAVRAT VERMA
Holding
Bail was granted to the petitioner upon furnishing a bond of Rs.10,000 with two sureties.
Summary
The petitioner, Ranjeet Sah, applied for bail in a criminal case registered under Sections 413 and 414 of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 30(a) and 41(1) of the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, 2018, alleging recovery of 442.8 litres of liquor from a tractor and a motorcycle. He contended that he was not arrested at the scene, no liquor was found in his possession, and his implication rested solely on a confessional statement made by another accused while in police custody, which he argued lacks evidentiary value. The petitioner had been in custody since 25 January 2026. The State opposed the bail. The Court, after considering the submissions, held that the circumstances did not justify continued detention and ordered the petitioner’s release on bail upon furnishing a bond of Rs.10,000 with two sureties of the same amount. The bail order was directed to be complied with by the trial court handling the case.
Issues considered
- Whether bail should be granted in offences punishable under Sections 413/414 IPC and the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, 2018 given the facts of the case.
- Whether a confessional statement of a co‑accused made in police custody can alone justify denial of bail.
- Whether the absence of seizure of liquor from the petitioner’s possession and lack of arrest at the spot affect the bail decision.
Legislation cited
- Indian Penal Code — s. 413, 414
Subjects
- bail
- Indian Penal Code
- excise law
- confessional statement
- possession
- Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act
- criminal procedure
Judgment
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.9002 of 2026
Arising Out of PS. Case No.-108 Year-2024 Thana- RIVILGANJ District- Saran
======================================================
Ranjeet Sah @ Ranjeet Kumar S/O Sri Raj Kumar Gond @ Raj Kumar Sah
@ Raj Kumar R/O Village- Ajaybganj, P.S.- Bhagwan Bazar, District- Saran.
... ... Petitioner/s
Versus
The State of Bihar
... ... Opposite Party/s
======================================================
Appearance :
For the Petitioner/s : Mr. Raushan Raj
For the Opposite Party/s : Ms. Asha Devi
======================================================
CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SATYAVRAT VERMA
ORAL ORDER
2 06-02-2026 1. Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and learned
A.P.P. for the State.
2. The petitioner seeks bail in a case registered for the
offence punishable under Sections 413/414 IPC & Sections
30(a), 41(1) of Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, 2018.
3. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that
petitioner has antecedent of one case under the Excise Act and
allegation is of recovery of 442.8 litres of liquor from a tractor
and a motorcycle. It is next submitted that petitioner was not
arrested from the spot as such nothing was recovered from his
conscious possession and is not the owner of any of the seized
vehicle and he came to be implicated based on confessional
statement of apprehended accused in police custody which does
not have any evidentiary value. It is also submitted that once an
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.9002 of 2026(2) dt.06-02-2026
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accused is implicated in a case relating to excise, the police
starts implicating mechanically either through chowkidar, local
person, confessional statement or secret information without
holding a proper investigation. It is further submitted that
petitioner is in custody since 25.01.2026.
4. Learned A.P.P. opposes the prayer for bail of the
petitioner.
5. Considering the submissions made by the learned
counsel for the petitioner, the petitioner above-named, is
directed to be released on bail on furnishing bail bonds of
Rs.10,000/- (Rupees ten thousand) 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 Rivilganj
P.S. Case No.108/2024.
(Satyavrat Verma, J)
amit/-
U T
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