Suman Devi v. The State Of Bihar

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA

CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.39218 of 2026 Arising Out of PS. Case No.-216 Year-2026 Thana- VAISHALI District- Vaishali ====================================================== Suman Devi W/O Chandan Kumar Resident of Village-Mataiyan, Post OfficeMadhopur Ram, Police Station-Vaishali, District-Vaishali. ... ... Petitioner

Versus

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

For the Petitioner/s :

Mr.Akshay Tripathi, Advocate For the Opposite Party/s :

Mr.Anil Kumar Singh, No.1, APP ====================================================== CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE CHANDRA SHEKHAR JHA ORAL ORDER 18-06-2026 Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and learned APP for the State.

2. The accused-petitioner, named in the F.I.R., is apprehending her arrest in connection with Vaishali (Belsar O.P.) P.S. Case No. 216 of 2026 registered for the offences punishable under Sections 80 & 3(5) of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita, 2023 (in short, the 'B.N.S.') and section 3 & 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act.

3. The allegation against the petitioner is to cause death of the sister of the informant along with other coaccused persons/family members due to non-fulfillment of demand of dowry as raised for cash of Rs. 10 Lakhs.

4. Learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner submitted that petitioner, who is the mother of

Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.39218 of 2026(2) dt.18-06-2026 2/3 husband of the deceased, living separately having no connection with daily and domestic affairs of the deceased and her husband. It is submitted that petitioner was implicated only being mother-in-law.

5. Arguing further, it is submitted that post-mortem report nowhere suggest any visible physical injury on the body of the deceased except ligature mark, which categorically suggest that the deceased sister of the informant was not physically assaulted soon before the occurrence.

6. It is pointed out that out of temperamental issues, the sister of the informant committed suicide by hanging herself, which is also corroborating from post-mortem report. Petitioner claimed clean antecedent.

7. Learned A.P.P. for the State opposes the prayer of anticipatory bail of the petitioner.

8. In view of the aforesaid factual submissions and by taking note of the fact as petitioner prima facie implicated with the present crime in question being motherin-law, who is also a lady having clean antecedent, coupled with the fact that petitioner claims to live separately with

Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.39218 of 2026(2) dt.18-06-2026 3/3 the deceased and her husband, accordingly, above-named petitioner, in the event of her arrest/surrender within a period of four weeks from this order, is directed to be enlarged on bail on furnishing of bail bond of Rs.10,000/- (ten thousand only) with two sureties of the like amount each to the satisfaction of learned Judicial Magistrate - 1st Class, Vaishali at Hajipur/concerned court in connection with Vaishali P.S. Case No. 216 of 2026, subject to the conditions as laid down under Section 438(2) of the Cr.P.C/Section 482(2) of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (in short "B.N.S.S.").

(Chandra Shekhar Jha, J) Rajeev/- U T