Vikash Mandal v. The State Of Bihar

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA

CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.30169 of 2026 Arising Out of PS. Case No.-23 Year-2025 Thana- KURSAILA District- Katihar ====================================================== 1.

Vikash Mandal S/O Late Sita Ram Mandal R/O Village- Nawabganj, Purab Tola, P.S- Kursela, District- Katihar.

2.

Kalicharan Kumar S/O Arun Mandal R/O Village- Nawabganj, Purab Tola, P.S- Kursela, District- Katihar.

... ... Petitioner/s

Versus

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

For the Petitioner/s :

Mr. Subhash Kumar, Advocate For the Opposite Party/s :

Ms. Sharda Kumari, APP ====================================================== CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE RUDRA PRAKASH MISHRA ORAL ORDER 17-07-2026 Heard learned counsel for the petitioners and learned APP for the State.

2. The petitioners seek bail in connection with Special (NDPS) Case No. 27 of 2025 arising out of Kursela P.S. Case No. 23 of 2025 instituted for the offences under Sections 8, 20(B)ii(C) of the NDPS Act.

3. Earlier, vide order dated 26.09.2025 passed in Cr. Misc. No. 60385 of 2025, regular bail of the petitioners was rejected by this Court considering the recovery of the contraband beyond the commercial quantity coupled with embargo under Section 37 of the NDPS Act.

4. In compliance of the order dated 01.05.2026 a report

Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.30169 of 2026(3) dt.17-07-2026 2/3 dated 06.05.2026 with regard to the present stage of trial has been received. From perusal of the aforesaid report, it appears that there are five charge-sheeted witnesses and out of them, none have been examined.

5. Learned counsel for the petitioners submits that the petitioners are languishing in judicial custody since 23.01.2025 without any rhymes or reason and have no criminal antecedent.

6. Learned APP for the State opposes the prayer for grant of bail to the petitioners.

7. There is no fresh ground to consider the bail petition of the petitioners.

8. In view of the above, the prayer for bail of the petitioners is again rejected with a direction to the court below to expedite the trial and conclude the same expeditiously preferably within a period of six months from today. If the trial is not concluded within the period of six months, as stated above, the petitioners will be at liberty to renew their prayer before the court below.

9. The District Magistrate, Katihar and the Superintendent of Police, Katihar are also directed to take necessary steps to produce the witnesses on the date fixed in the Trial Court so that the trial could be concluded within the

Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.30169 of 2026(3) dt.17-07-2026 3/3 stipulated period.

10. Let a copy of this order be communicated to the District Magistrate, Katihar and the Superintendent of Police, Katihar.

(Rudra Prakash Mishra, J) Alok Verma/- U T