Patna High Court
Ranjit KumarversusThe State of Bihar
- Decided
- Disposal
- BAIL GRANTED
- Bench
- PRABHAT KUMAR SINGH
Holding
Anticipatory bail was granted to petitioners 1, 2 and 4.
Summary
The petitioners, four men alleging to be agnates of the informant's maternal grandfather, sought anticipatory bail fearing arrest in a case alleging conspiracy to grab 24 acres of land using a forged gift deed. The prosecution alleged offences under several sections of the B.N.S., while the petitioners contended that the matter was purely a civil dispute over title and possession, already pending in a partition suit with a status‑quo order. The informant and the State opposed the bail, arguing the seriousness of the alleged criminal acts. The Court observed that the accusations were general and the underlying dispute was civil in nature, and therefore granted anticipatory bail to petitioners 1, 2 and 4. The bail was conditioned on a bond of Rs.10,000 with two sureties and compliance with Section 482(2) of the B.N.S.
Issues considered
- Whether anticipatory bail should be granted to the petitioners in a case involving alleged land grabbing and forgery.
- Whether the alleged acts constitute a criminal offence or are merely a civil dispute over land ownership.
Legislation cited
- B.N.S. — s. 316(2), 318(4), 336(3), 338, 351(2), 352, 482(2), 61(1)
Subjects
- anticipatory bail
- land dispute
- forgery
- civil suit
- Section 482
- Criminal Procedure Code
- land grabbing
Judgment
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.9281 of 2026
Arising Out of PS. Case No.-403 Year-2025 Thana- RAJAOLI District- Nawada
======================================================
1. Ranjit Kumar Son of Ramdhir Singh R/o Village - Chhapra, P.S. - Rajauli,
District - Nawada(Sitting place Anand Vihar Hotel, Main Road NH - 20).
2. Pravin Kumar @ Praveen Kumar Son of Late Alakhdeo Singh R/o Village -
Chhapra, P.S. - Rajauli, District - Nawada.
3. Vashisth Narayan Singh @ Bashisht Narayan Singh Son of Late Narsingh
Narayan Singh R/o Village - Chhapra, P.S. - Rajauli, District - Nawada.
4. Arun Kumar Singh @ Arun Kumar Son of Late Kapildeo Singh R/o Village
- Chhapra, P.S. - Rajauli, District - Nawada(Also resides at C.D. Colony
Bishunpur Road, Ward no. - 4, Jhumri Tillaiya Koderma, Jharkhand.
... ... Petitioner/s
Versus
The State of Bihar
... ... Opposite Party/s
======================================================
Appearance :
For the Petitioners : Mr. Shailendra Kumar Singh, Advocate
Mr. Karu Kumar, Advocate
Mr. Shubh Raj, Advocate
For the State : Mr. Manoj Kumar, APP
For the Informant : Ms. Priyanka Singh, Advocate
Mr. Aditya Raj, Advocate
======================================================
CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE PRABHAT KUMAR SINGH
ORAL ORDER
3 31-03-2026 Heard learned counsel appearing on behalf of the
petitioners, learned APP appearing on behalf of the State and
learned counsel appearing on behalf of the informant.
2. The prayer for grant of anticipatory bail to
Petitioner No. 3, namely Vashisth Narayan Singh, has already
been dismissed as withdrawn vide order dated 18.02.2026.
3. Petitioner Nos. 1, 2 and 4 apprehend their arrest in
a case registered for the offence punishable under Sections
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.9281 of 2026(3) dt.31-03-2026
2/3
316(2), 318(4), 336(3), 338, 351(2), 352 and 61(1) of the
B.N.S..
4. As per prosecution case, it is alleged that all the
F.I.R. named accused persons, including these petitioners, in a
conspiracy, grabbed about 24 acres of land using a forged gift
deed in the name of deceased maternal grandmother of the
informant.
5. It is submitted by learned counsel appearing on
behalf of the petitioners that petitioners are quite innocent and
have committed no offence. As a matter of fact, petitioners are
agnates of maternal grandfather of the informant. The dispute is
with regard to right, title and possession over a piece of land
which is purely civil in nature and none of the acts allegedly
committed by these petitioners would give rise to any criminal
liability. It is further submitted that a partition suit, bearing
Partition Suit No. 18 of 2015 was also filed by mother of the
informant in Civil Court, Nawada, which is still pending for
adjudication and in the said partition suit, co-accused Rajesh
Kumar Singh is a defendant and the learned Sub-Judge VIIth,
Nawada has passed order of status quo with respect to the land
in question.
6. Learned A.P.P. for the State and learned counsel for
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.9281 of 2026(3) dt.31-03-2026
3/3
the informant have vehemently opposed the prayer for grant of
anticipatory bail to the petitioners.
7. Considering the facts and circumstances of the
case, general and omnibus nature of accusation and nature of
dispute, the prayer for grant of anticipatory bail to Petitioner
Nos. 1, 2 and 4 is allowed.
8. Accordingly, in the event of arrest/surrender within
a period of eight weeks from today, let the above named
Petitioner Nos. 1, 2 and 4 be enlarged on bail on furnishing bail-
bond of Rs. 10,000/- (ten thousand) each with two sureties of
the like amount each to the satisfaction of learned C.J.M.,
Nawada in connection with Rajauli P.S. Case No. 403 of 2025,
subject to condition as laid down under Section 482(2) of the
B.N.S.S..
(Prabhat Kumar Singh, J)
shashank/-
U T
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