Sant Sagar Singh v. The State Of Bihar

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA

CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.32100 of 2019 Arising Out of PS. Case No.-51 Year-2019 Thana- GWALPARA District- Madhepura ====================================================== 1.

Sant Sagar Singh Son of Raghunath Singh Resident of Village and P.O.- Dhabouli Pashchim, P.S.- Sour Bazar (Patarghat O.P), Distt - Saharsa. 2.

Surendra Sah Son of Ramjee Sah Resident of Village - Surmaha (Kishanpur), P.S.- Sour Bazar (Patarghat O.P), Distt - Saharsa. ... ... Petitioner/s

Versus

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

For the Petitioner/s :

Mr.Dr. Sanjay Kumar Singh, Advocate For the Opposite Party/s :

Mr.Atul Chandra, APP ====================================================== CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE DINESH KUMAR SINGH ORAL ORDER 10-06-2020 The matter has been taken up through virtual court proceeding.

Heard learned counsels for the petitioners and the State.

The present application has been filed with a prayer for bail in a case registered for the offences punishable under Sections 30(a) and 37(b) of the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, 2016, as amended by Act 8 of 2018.

A bench of this Court, vide order dated 13.06.2019, granted provisional bail to the petitioners who were in custody since 12.03.2019 and further directed the matter to be listed after disposal of S.L.P. (C) Nos. 27949-29763 of 2016, wherein

2/4 the vires of the Bihar Excise Act, 1915 and the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, 2016 is under challenge. The relevant portion of the order reads as follows:- "Recently, the Full Bench of this Court in a case i.e. Criminal Appeal (SJ) No. 431 of 2019 (Ram Vinay Yadav vs. The State of Bihar) has noticed that vires of entire Excise Act as well as amended Excise Act is pending before the Hon'ble Supreme Court. The Court is of opinion that since vires of entire Excise Act is already sub-judice before the Hon'ble Supreme Court, it would not be appropriate for this court to finally dispose of any case pertaining to Excise Act. However, at the same time, it would not be appropriate to allow a person to remain in custody for an indefinite period.

List this matter after disposal of S.L.P. (C) Nos. 27949-29763 of 2016 and connected writ petitions pending before the Hon'ble Supreme Court.

Till further order, the petitioners namely, Sant Sagar Singh and Surendra Sah are directed to be released provisionally on bail on furnishing bail bond of Rs. 10,000/- (ten thousand) each with two sureties of the like amount each to the satisfaction of learned A.D.J. II, Madhepura/concerned court in connection with Gwalpara (Arrar) P.S. Case No. 51 of 2019 corresponding to Excise Case No. 338 of 2019." Due to present pandemic, Covid-19, the physical court proceedings in the Supreme Court are not being conducted, as a result, there is no likelihood of the

3/4 aforementioned S.L.P. being disposed of in near future. Hence, the application has been heard on merits.

As per the prosecution case, total 30 litres of country made liquor were recovered from a motorcycle and both the petitioners were found in inebriated condition. It is submitted by learned counsel for the petitioners that the recovery has not been made from the conscious physical possession of the petitioners. The investigation has already been concluded. A statement has been made in paragraph no.3 of the petition that the petitioners are not having any criminal antecedent. It is further submitted that there is nothing on record to suggest that the petitioners have misused the privilege of provisional bail.

Learned APP submits that the recovery has been from a motorcycle.

Considering the aforesaid facts and submissions of the parties, particularly the fact that there is nothing on record to suggest that the petitioners have misused the privilege of provisional bail, the provisional bail, granted to the petitioners vide order dated 13.06.2019 in connection with Gwalpara (Arrar) P.S. Case No. 51 of 2019 corresponding to Excise Case No. 338 of 2019, pending in the Court of learned A.D.J. II,

4/4 Madhepura/concerned court, is hereby confirmed. Accordingly, the order dated 13.06.2019 stands modified to the extent of placing the matter after disposal of aforementioned S.L.P.

The present application is disposed of.

(Dinesh Kumar Singh, J) DKS/- U T