Lalit Yadav v. The State Of Bihar

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA

CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.27162 of 2024 Arising Out of PS. Case No.-197 Year-2023 Thana- MADHEPUR District- Madhubani ====================================================== 1.

Lalit Yadav Son of Dukhi Yadav Resident of Village - Mataras, P.S. - Madhepur, District - Madhubani 2.

Balram Raut Son of Janak Raut Resident of Village - Mataras, P.S. - Madhepur, District - Madhubani ... ... Petitioner/s

Versus

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

For the Petitioner/s :

Mr. Ramchandra Jha Raman, Adv For the Opposite Party/s :

Mr. Tapeshwar Sharma, APP ====================================================== CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE CHANDRA PRAKASH SINGH ORAL ORDER 18-04-2024 Heard learned counsel for the petitioners and learned Additional Public Prosecutor for the State.

2. The petitioners are apprehending their arrest in connection with Madhepura P.S Case No. 197 of 2023 dated 08.08.2023 registered for the offence punishable u/s 30(a) of the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act.

3. Learned counsel for the petitioners seeks permission to withdraw the present application for the petitioner no. 1, namely, Lalit Yadav.

4. Permission is accorded.

5. Accordingly, this bail application for the petitioner no. 1, namely, Lalit Yadav is dismissed as withdrawn.

Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.27162 of 2024(2) dt.18-04-2024 2/3

6. As per the prosecution case, total 42.390 litres of illicit foreign liquor was recovered from the pick up van.

7. Learned counsel for the petitioner has submitted that the petitioner is innocent and has falsely been implicated in this case. The petitioner has no criminal antecedent as stated in para 3 of the bail petition. The name of the petitioner has transpired in this case only on the basis of suspicion. The petitioner is not the owner of the said vehicle and the same was not being driven by him at the time of the alleged recovery. No incriminating article 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.

8. 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

Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.27162 of 2024(2) dt.18-04-2024 3/3 case.

9. Considering the aforesaid facts and circumstances of the case as well as the nature of allegation against the petitioner, 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, Madhubani in connection with Madhepura P.S Case No. 197 of 2023 subject to conditions as laid down under section 438(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

10. This application stands allowed.

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