Pradip Prasad Bhagat v. The State Of Bihar Through Its Principal Secretary, Excise Department, Govt. Of Bihar, Old Secretar

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA

Criminal Writ Jurisdiction Case No.139 of 2018 ====================================================== Pradip Prasad Bhagat, Son of Rajakant Bhagat, resident of Village- 38 Bhaljoria, P.O. Nirsha, P.S. Nirsha, District- Dhanbad, Jharkhand. .... .... Petitioner/s

Versus

1. The State of Bihar through its Principal Secretary, Excise Department, Govt. of Bihar, Old Secretariat, Patna.

2. The District Magistrate, Sheikhpura.

3. The Superintendent of Police, Sheikhpura.

4. The S.H.O. Sheikhpura Police Station, Sheikhpura. .... .... Respondent/s ====================================================== Appearance :

For the Petitioner/s : Mr. Dhananjay Mishra For the Respondent/s : Mr. Vivek Prasad (GP-7) ====================================================== CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE RAJEEV RANJAN PRASAD ORAL ORDER 17-02-2018 Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and learned counsel representing the State.

Petitioner has prayed for release of the vehicle Tata Magic Pickup Van bearing Reg. No. JH10AV-1906, Chassis No.MAI445554F13278, which has been seized by the police in connection with Sheikhpura P.S. Case No.220 of 2017, DistrictSheikhpura for the offence under Section 30(a) of the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, 2016. It is alleged that 24 bottles of foreign liquor each containing 750 ml, 144 bottles of foreign liquor each containing 375 ml and 720 pouches of country made liquor each containing 200 ml have been recovered from the vehicle in question.

Patna High Court Cr. WJC No.139 of 2018 (2) dt.17-02-2018 Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner is ready and willing to abide by the terms and conditions which may be imposed by this Court for provisional release of the vehicle in question.

Considering the facts and circumstances, pending initiation or finalization of confiscation proceeding, let the vehicle of the petitioner be released provisionally on production of proof of ownership and registration of the vehicle in favour of the petitioner subject to the following conditions:- (i) Petitioner shall furnish a surety in form of a bank guarantee or by deposit of original title deeds of immovable property lying within the jurisdiction of the court below/authority concerned or any other security of like nature valued at Rs. 4,00,000/- (four lakhs)) to the satisfaction of court below or the authority concerned.

(ii) The petitioner shall also give an undertaking that he will not deal with the vehicle in question and shall not alienate or encumber the same creating any kind of adverse interest against the interest of the State, he will not use the vehicle for

Patna High Court Cr. WJC No.139 of 2018 (2) dt.17-02-2018 any illegal purpose and as and when required, he will produce the vehicle in question before the competent court/authority.

(iii) At the time of release, the concerned authority/court shall get prepared a photograph duly certified in presence of the petitioner and panchnama of the vehicle in question shall also be prepared and keep the same on record which may be used as secondary evidence.

(iv) Petitioner undertakes not to challenge the said photograph and panchnama so prepared in his presence at the time of release of vehicle in question for use in course of trial or the confiscation proceeding, as the case may be.

The application stands disposed of.

(Rajeev Ranjan Prasad, J) Arvind/- U T