Rajendra @ Raja Dodwadia @ Raju Dodwadia v. The State Of Bihar
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.34279 of 2026 Arising Out of PS. Case No.-255 Year-2026 Thana- Excise P.S. District- Muzaffarpur ====================================================== 1.
Rajendra @ Raja Dodwadia @ Raju Dodwadia S/o Narayan Ram @ Narayan R/O village- Balyawas Tan Karad, P.S - Danta Ram Gardh, District - Sikar, Rajasthan 2.
Mahendra Singh @ Mahendra Singh Khirhar S/o Bhagwan Sahay R/o vill - Pachar, P.S.- Pachar, Distt.- Sikar, Rajasthan 3.
Bhagwan Sahay @ Bhagwan Sahay Siyak @ B.S. S/o Gangaram Siyak R/o Malbhawali Kothi Boraj Dhani Phulera, P.s.- Phulera, Distt.- Jaipur, Rajasthan ... ... Petitioner/s
Versus
The State of Bihar ... ... Opposite Party/s ====================================================== Appearance :
For the Petitioner/s :
Mr.Nawal Kishor Prasad, Advocate For the Opposite Party/s :
Mr.Anil Kumar, APP ====================================================== CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE RITESH KUMAR ORAL ORDER 19-05-2026 Heard the learned counsel for the petitioners and the learned A.P.P. for the State.
2. The petitioners apprehend their arrest in connection with Excise P.S. Case No. 255 of 2026 registered for the offences punishable under Sections 30(a), 32(3) of the Bihar Prohibit & Excise (Amendment) Act, 2022.
3. As per the prosecution story which has been lodged on the basis of the written report submitted by the informant to the effect that on 06.02.2026, the informant received a secret information that Rajendra @ Raja Dodwadia @ Raju Dodwadia (petitioner no. 1) and Mahendra Singh (petitioner no. 2) had sent
2/4 Ashok Leyland Truck bearing Registration No. RJ-47-GA8313, loaded with illicit liquor from Haryana and the vehicle is standing at Muzaffarpur and the driver and cleaner of the truck are taking food. Upon receiving such information, to verify the authenticity of the said information, the informant along with police party reached near the place where the truck is said ot have been parked and found the driver and cleaner to be sitting in the truck. The driver and cleaner were arrested and on query, they disclosed their names as Manmohan and Rampal Verma. On search, 3,888 litres of foreign liquor of different brands contained in different sizes of bottles were recovered from the said truck. They disclosed the names of the petitioners to be the persons who had sent the consignment.
4. The learned counsel for the petitioners submits that the petitioners are innocent and have not committed any offence. The name of the petitioners transpired in this case on the basis of confessional statement of the driver and cleaner (codriver). He further submits that although the driver and the cleaner (co-driver) had taken the names of the petitioners, but they did not name the owner of the truck, since there is business dispute in between the parties. The petitioners have got no concern with the seized liquor or with the seized truck. He
3/4 further submits that petitioners have got a clean antecedent.
5. The learned A.P.P. for the State opposes the prayer for bail and submits that huge quantity of liquor was recovered from the truck and two persons were apprehended on the spot who took the names of the petitioners in their confessional statement.
6. Having considered the rival submissions and after going through the records, it appears that petitioners were not apprehended on the spot. The petitioners are neither the driver nor the owner of the said truck and their names transpired on the basis of confessional statement of the accused persons, who were apprehended on the spot. The petitioners have got a clean antecedents. Considering the facts, let the petitioners, above named, in the event of arrest or surrender within a period of six weeks, be released 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 the learned Exclusive Special Judge, Excise II, Muzaffapur, in connection with Excise P.S. Case No. 255 of 2026, subject to the conditions as laid down under Section 482(2) of the B.N.S.S., with further condition: (i) The learned Court concerned shall verify the criminal antecedent of the petitioners and in case at any stage, it
4/4 is found that the petitioners have concealed their criminal antecedents, the court concerned shall take steps for cancellation of bail bond of the petitioners. However, the acceptance of bail bonds in terms of the above-mentioned order shall not be delayed for purpose of or in the name of verification. (Ritesh Kumar, J) vinita/- U T