Patna High Court
Wakeel Sahni @ Okil sahaniversusThe State of Bihar
- Decided
- Disposal
- DISPOSED
- Bench
- SATYAVRAT VERMA
Holding
The High Court held that provisional anticipatory bail may be granted subject to verification of the petitioner’s antecedent and compliance with conditions under Section 482(2) of the CrPC.
Summary
The petitioner, Wakeel Sahni, sought anticipatory bail in a case registered under Section 30(a) of the Bihar Excise Act for alleged recovery of 50 litres of liquor from his motorcycle and a school bag. He argued that he was not present at the spot, the liquor was not in his conscious possession, and he was implicated merely as the owner of the vehicle, unaware of its misuse. The State opposed the bail. The High Court, considering the submissions, granted provisional anticipatory bail subject to a bail bond of Rs.5,000 with two sureties and directed verification of the petitioner’s criminal antecedent. It stipulated that if more than one prior case is found, the bail would not be confirmed; if only one prior case, the provisional bail would be confirmed. The order was made under Section 482(2) of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Issues considered
- Whether the petitioner is entitled to anticipatory bail under Section 482(2) of the CrPC in a case under Section 30(a) of the Bihar Excise Act.
- Whether ownership of the vehicle used for the alleged offence suffices to justify arrest and denial of bail.
- Whether the petitioner’s criminal antecedent affects the grant and confirmation of anticipatory bail.
Legislation cited
- Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 — s. 482(2)
Subjects
- anticipatory bail
- Section 30(a) Bihar Excise Act
- vehicle ownership
- criminal antecedent
- Section 482 CrPC
- High Court order
Judgment
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.91590 of 2025
Arising Out of PS. Case No.-232 Year-2025 Thana- KATRA District- Muzaffarpur
======================================================
Wakeel Sahni @ Okil sahani Son of Bhubaneswar Sahani R/o Village -
Mushahari Tol Manikauni, P.S. - Singhwara, Distt. - Darbhanga.
... ... Petitioner/s
Versus
The State of Bihar
... ... Opposite Party/s
======================================================
Appearance :
For the Petitioner/s : Mr. Manoj Kumar, Advocate
For the Opposite Party/s : Mr. Akbar Ali, APP
======================================================
CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SATYAVRAT VERMA
ORAL ORDER
2 13-01-2026 1. Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and
learned A.P.P. for the State.
2. The petitioner apprehends his arrest in a case
registered for the offences punishable under Section 30(a) of the
Bihar Excise Act.
3. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that
petitioner has antecedent of one case and allegation is of
recovery of 50 liters of liquor from a motorcycle and from a
school bag.
4. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that
petitioner was not apprehended from the spot as such nothing
was recovered from his conscious possession and he came to be
implicated based on the fact that he is owner of the seized
vehicle. It is next submitted that no prudent person would use
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.91590 of 2025(2) dt.13-01-2026
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his own vehicle for committing an occurrence and thus would
create evidence against himself and hence would get implicated,
it is also submitted that petitioner was completely unaware that
his friend would misuse the vehicle in the manner as alleged.
5. Learned A.P.P. for the State opposes the prayer for
anticipatory bail of the petitioner.
6. Considering the submissions made by the learned
counsel for the petitioner, the petitioner above-named, in the
event of his arrest or surrender before the learned Trial Court
within a period of six weeks from today, be released on
Provisional anticipatory bail on furnishing bail bonds of Rs.
5,000/- (Rupees Five 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 Katra
P.S. Case No. 232 of 2025 subject to the conditions as laid down
under Section 482 (2) of the BNSS.
7. It is made clear that thereafter the learned Trial
Court shall verify the criminal antecedent of the petitioner and
in the event if it is found that petitioner has antecedent of more
than one case then it would be presumed that petitioner, for the
purposes of seeking anticipatory bail, had concealed his
antecedent before this Court, as such, the provisional
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.91590 of 2025(2) dt.13-01-2026
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anticipatory bail order shall not be confirmed, but after
verification if it is found that petitioner has antecedent of one
case only, in that event the provisional anticipatory bail order
shall be confirmed forthwith.
(Satyavrat Verma, J)
Rishabh/-
U T
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