Pramod Rai v. The State Of Bihar

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA

CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.9683 of 2024 Arising Out of PS. Case No.-401 Year-2023 Thana- MEHSI District- East Champaran ====================================================== Pramod Rai S/O Hari Rai Village- Tajpur Saraiya, Ps. Madhuban, Dist. East Champaran.

... ... Petitioner/s

Versus

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

For the Petitioner/s :

Ms. Rashmi Jha, Adv.

For the Opposite Party/s :

Ms. Gulnar Begum, APP.

====================================================== CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE CHANDRA PRAKASH SINGH ORAL ORDER 23-02-2024 Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and learned Additional Public Prosecutor for the State.

2. The petitioner is apprehending his arrest in a case in connection with Mehsi P.S. Case No. 401 of 2023 dated 16.12.2023 for the offence punishable u/s 30(a), 32 and 41(1) of the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act.

3. As per the prosecution case, total 803.88 litres of illicit foreign liquor was recovered from the pick-up van.

4. Learned counsel for the petitioner has submitted that the petitioner is innocent and has falsely been implicated in this case. No incriminating material has been recovered from the conscious possession of the petitioner. The petitioner is neither the owner nor the driver of the said vehicle. The said vehicle

Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.9683 of 2024(2) dt.23-02-2024 2/3 was not being driven by the petitioner at the time of the alleged occurrence. The petitioner has no concern with the alleged recovery. The apprehended person disclosed the name of the petitioner who has fled away. The petitioner has no criminal antecedent as stated in para 3 of the bail petition. Learned counsel has submitted that no case is made out against the petitioner. Learned Counsel has relied on the judgment of Full Bench of Hon'ble Patna High Court in the case of Ram Vinay Yadav vs. State of Bihar 2019 (2) PLJR 1089. The Full Bench in the case of Ram Vinay Yadav (supra) has held that an application for anticipatory bail in a case arising out of Bihar Excise and Prohibition Act can be maintained, despite the bar under Section 76 (2) of the Act, if on the basis of allegation made in the FIR, no offence under the said provision is made out.

5. Learned A.P.P. for the State has vehemently opposed the prayer for anticipatory bail of the petitioner by submitting that the bar of Section 76(2) of the Act applies in this case.

6. Considering the aforesaid facts and circumstances of the case as well as the material available on record, let the above named petitioner, in the event of his arrest/surrender

Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.9683 of 2024(2) dt.23-02-2024 3/3 within a period of six weeks from today, be enlarged on anticipatory bail on furnishing bail-bond of Rs. 20,000/- (Rupees twenty thousand) with two sureties of the like amount each to the satisfaction of the learned court concerned, Motihari, East Champaran in connection with Mehsi P.S. Case No. 401 of 2023, subject to conditions as laid down under section 438(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

7. The application stands allowed.

(Chandra Prakash Singh, J) annpurna/- U T