Shanti Lal Ram v. The State Of Bihar
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.12300 of 2026 Arising Out of PS. Case No.-61 Year-2025 Thana- BARDAHA District- Araria ====================================================== Shanti Lal Ram Son of Late Bateshwar Ram Resident of Village- Benga, P.S.- Bardaha, Distriict- Araria (Bihar) ... ... Petitioner/s
Versus
The State of Bihar ... ... Opposite Party/s ====================================================== Appearance :
For the Petitioner :
Mr. Kumar Ravish, Advocate Mr. Sanjay Kumar Sharma, Advocate For the State :
Mr. Umeshanand Pandit, APP ====================================================== CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE PRABHAT KUMAR SINGH ORAL ORDER 24-02-2026 Heard Mr. Kumar Ravish, learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner and Mr. Umeshanand Pandit, learned APP appearing on behalf of the State.
2. The petitioner apprehends his arrest in a case registered for the offence punishable under Section 316(5) of the B.N.S and Section 7 of the Essential Commodities Act.
3. As per prosecution case, on 16.09.2025 at about 11:47 AM, the P.D.S. shop of this petitioner, who happens to be a P.D.S. dealer, was inspected and the petitioner was not present at the shop and the shop was found in a broken-down condition. Upon further inspection, 107.25 quintals of wheat and 278.70 quintals of rice were found short. It is alleged that the same was sold by this petitioner in the black market.
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.12300 of 2026(2) dt.24-02-2026 2/3
4. It is submitted by learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner that petitioner is quite innocent and has committed no offence. As a matter of fact, on the alleged date and time of inspection, due to defective e-POS machine, the alleged shortage of food grains was found. There is no complaint by any of the customer that this petitioner is involved in black marketing of food grains. It is lastly submitted that P.D.S. license of the petitioner has already been cancelled vide Memo No. 463 dated 16.09.2025. Petitioner claims clean antecedents.
5. Learned A.P.P. for the State has vehemently opposed the prayer for grant of anticipatory bail to the petitioner.
6. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, nature of accusation, fact that P.D.S. license of the petitioner has already been cancelled and clean antecedents of the petitioner, the prayer for grant of anticipatory bail to the petitioner is allowed.
7. Accordingly, in the event of arrest/surrender within a period of eight weeks from today, let the above named petitioner be enlarged on bail on furnishing bail-bond of Rs. 10,000/- (ten thousand) with two sureties of the like amount
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.12300 of 2026(2) dt.24-02-2026 3/3 each to the satisfaction of learned Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate, Araria in connection with Bardaha P.S. Case No. 61 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