Sugriv Mahto @ Sugriv Kumar Mahto v. The State Of Bihar
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.26442 of 2024 Arising Out of PS. Case No.-623 Year-2023 Thana- Excise P.S. District- Saran ====================================================== Sugriv Mahto @ Sugriv Kumar Mahto S/o Ramanand Mahto R/o vill - Newaji Tola Sonarpatti, P.S. - Town, Distt. - Saran ... ... Petitioner/s
Versus
The State of Bihar Bihar ... ... Opposite Party/s ====================================================== Appearance :
For the Petitioner/s :
Mr.Sanjeet Kumar Singh, Adv.
For the Opposite Party/s :
Mr.Madan Kumar, APP ====================================================== CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE CHANDRA PRAKASH SINGH ORAL ORDER 16-04-2024 Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and learned Additional Public Prosecutor for the State.
2. The petitioner is apprehending his arrest in connection with Saran Excise P.S. Case No. 623 of 2023 dated 06.12.2023 for the offences punishable u/ss 30(a), (c), 32(3), and 45 of the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act.
3. As per the prosecution case, total 15.2 litres of illicit chulai liquor, 2 set of liquor making apparatus, 1400 Kg raw jawa mahua and a motorcycle were recovered from the diyara area, Diliyarahimpur.
4. Learned counsel for the petitioner has submitted that the petitioner is innocent and has falsely been implicated in this case. The petitioner has one criminal antecedent as stated in
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.26442 of 2024(2) dt.16-04-2024 2/3 para 3 of the bail petition. The name of the petitioner has transpired in this case merely on suspicion. The petitioner is not the owner of the said vehicle and the same was not being driven by the petitioner at the time of the alleged recovery. It is further submitted that the petitioner has no concern with the alleged recovery rather the recovery has been made from an open place which is accessible to anyone. Nothing has been recovered from the conscious possession of the petitioner, hence no case is made out. 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 reported in 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
Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.26442 of 2024(2) dt.16-04-2024 3/3 of the case as well as the material available on the record, let the above named petitioner, in the event of his arrest/surrender 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, Saran at Chapra in connection with Saran Excise P.S. Case No. 623 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) Gautam/- U T