Mantosh Kumar @ Mantosh Mahto v. The State Of Bihar

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA

CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.41781 of 2026 Arising Out of PS. Case No.-261 Year-2025 Thana- DEWARIA District- Muzaffarpur ====================================================== Mantosh Kumar @ Mantosh Mahto, S/o Lakhindra Mahto @ Lachinder Mahto, R/o Village - Sohasha(Sohansa), P.S. - Deoria, Dist. - Muzaffarpur. ... ... Petitioner

Versus

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

For the Petitioner/s :

Mrs. Nitu Kumari, Advocate For the Opposite Party/s :

Mrs. Meena Singh, APP ====================================================== CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE CHANDRA SHEKHAR JHA ORAL ORDER 29-06-2026 Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and learned Additional Public Prosecutor for the State.

2. The accused/petitioner is named in the FIR and apprehending his arrest in connection with Deoria P.S. Case No.261 of 2025 registered under Sections 274, 275 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (in short 'BNS', 2023) and Section 30(a) of the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act.

3. Allegation against the petitioner is to engage in illegal trade/manufacturing of illicit liquor, where there is recovery of 80 litres of IMFL/country-made liquor.

4. It is submitted by learned counsel appearing for the petitioner that the seized illicit liquor was recovered from

Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.41781 of 2026(2) dt.29-06-2026 2/3 a ditch near the Gandak river, which is an open place, accessible to the general public and, therefore, it cannot be said that the alleged recovery was made from the conscious possession of the petitioner. It is further submitted that seizure list also appears doubtful being not supported by independent witnesses rather than by police personnel. It is also pointed out that the name of the petitioner surfaced solely on the basis of the disclosure made by the local villagers. The petitioner claimed clean antecedent.

5. Learned APP opposed the prayer of anticipatory bail to the petitioner.

6. In view of aforesaid factual submissions and by taking of note of fact as recovery of illicit liquor prima facie not appears to be made from physical possession of this petitioner, accordingly, the petitioner above-named, who is a man of clean antecedent, in the event of his arrest or surrender in the court below within a period of four weeks from today, is directed to be released on bail on furnishing bail bond of Rs.10,000/- (Rupees Ten Thousand) with two sureties of the like amount each to the satisfaction of the

Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.41781 of 2026(2) dt.29-06-2026 3/3 learned Exclusive Special Judge, Excise-II, Muzaffarpur in connection with Deoria P.S. Case No.261 of 2025, subject to the conditions as laid down under Section 438(2) of the CrPC/under Section 482(2) of the BNSS.

(Chandra Shekhar Jha, J.) Raushan/- U T