Chandeshwar Ram v. The State Of Bihar

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA

CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.3832 of 2022 Arising Out of PS. Case No.-164 Year-2021 Thana- GOPALPUR District- West Champaran ====================================================== 1.

Chandeshwar Ram Son Of Sri Neur Ram R/O Village- Biraith, , P.S.- Gopalpur, District- West Champaran 2.

Shanti Devi Wife Of Sri Sambhal Ram R/O Village- Biraith, , P.S.- Gopalpur, District- West Champaran ... ... Petitioner/s

Versus

The State of Bihar ... ... Opposite Party/s ====================================================== Appearance :

For the Petitioner/s :

Mr.Umesh Chandra Verma For the Opposite Party/s :

Mr. C. Jawahar, APP ====================================================== CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SUDHIR SINGH ORAL ORDER 11-02-2022 Due to the third wave of COVID-19 Pandemic, the matter is being taken up by way of virtual Court proceeding. The matter has been listed under the heading "For Orders" under the orders of Hon'ble the Chief Justice. Learned counsel for the petitioners is directed to remove the defect(s), as pointed out by the office, within a period of four weeks after restoration of normalcy. Heard learned counsel for the petitioners and the State through virtual mode.

The petitioners are apprehending their arrest in connection with Gopalpur P.S. Case No. 164 of 2021 registered for the offence under Section-30(a) of the Bihar Prohibition and

Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.3832 of 2022(2) dt.11-02-2022 2/3 Excise Act, 2016.

The prosecution case, in short, is that 22 liters wine is recovered.

It has been submitted on behalf of the petitioners that the petitioner No. 2 has got no criminal antecedent. There is no allegation of tampering of witnesses alleged against the petitioners. The petitioners have been falsely implicated in the present case. It is alleged that out of 22 litres, 3 litres wine is said to have been recovered from backside of joint house of petitioner No. 1 and 2 litres wine is recovered from the house belonging to joint family of petitioner No. 2. The petitioner No. 2 is a lady. Nothing incriminating has been recovered from the conscious possession of the petitioners. The petitioners had no knowledge regarding the alleged incident. There is no compliance of Section 100 Cr.P.C.

On behalf of the State, it is submitted that the petitioners are named in the F.I.R.

It is necessary to indicate here that this Court while considering the prayer made in the present anticipatory bail application has taken note of the exponential rise in number of covid cases due to outbreak of third wave of Covid-19 pandemic. Further this Court can also not lose sight of the fact

Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.3832 of 2022(2) dt.11-02-2022 3/3 that the condition of jails is not conducive and suitable to the present situation which has arisen due to the sudden rise in covid cases.

Considering the aforesaid facts and circumstances of the case, the petitioners, above named, in the event of arrest or surrender before the learned court below within a period of twelve weeks from today, be released on anticipatory bail on their personal bonds to the satisfaction of learned Special Judge, Excise, Bettiah, West Champaran in connection with Gopalpur P.S. Case No. 164 of 2021 subject to the conditions as laid down under Section 438(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

Once the normalcy is restored, the petitioners shall furnish bail bonds of Rs. 10,000/- (Rupees ten thousand) with two sureties of the like amount each within a period of eight weeks to the satisfaction of the court concerned in connection with the aforesaid case.

(Sudhir Singh, J) A.K.V.//- U T