Archana Sareen v. The State Of Bihar

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA

CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.64468 of 2025 Arising Out of PS. Case No.-226 Year-2024 Thana- INDUSTRIAL District- Bhagalpur ====================================================== Archana Sareen, W/O Sri Prem Nath Sarin, Resident of 67, Janki Prasad Lane, Mohalla- Mundichak, Near Kumhar Toli Middle School, P.S.- Ishachak, Dist.- Bhagalpur ... ... Petitioner/s

Versus

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

For the Petitioner/s :

Mr. Chandra Shekhar Sharma, Adv.

For the Opposite Party/s :

Mr. Uma Shankar Prasad Singh, APP ====================================================== CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SHAILENDRA SINGH ORAL ORDER 17-09-2025 Heard Mr. Chandra Shekhar Sharma, learned counsel for the petitioner and Mr. Uma Shankar Prasad Singh, learned APP for the State.

2. Petitioner seeks regular bail in connection with Industrial Area P.S. Case No. 226 of 2024 dated 23.12.2024 registered for the offences punishable under sections 20(b)(ii) (B), 22 and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.

3. The main submissions advanced by petitioner's counsel are that the petitioner is a lady and has been languishing in jail since 24.12.2024 and against her the investigation has been completed and the instant matter relates to the recovery of narcotic material Ganja from two vehicles, one Tiago car and

Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.64468 of 2025(2) dt.17-09-2025 2/3 one Auto. It is further submitted that the petitioner is alleged to be travelling in the Auto from which 12.200 kg ganja was allegedly recovered, in fact three co-passengers were also travelling in the same vehicle with this petitioner who managed to escape upon seeing the police party and the petitioner, who was bonafidely travelling in that vehicle, was caught by the police and the police placed criminal liability upon the petitioner with regard to the alleged recovered article from the auto. It is further submitted that the alleged recovered narcotic material, which is said to have been recovered from the vehicle in which the petitioner was travelling, comes in the purview of intermediate quantity. It is lastly submitted that the petitioner has fair and clean antecedent, has never remained involved in such type of offence in the past.

4. Learned APP for the State has opposed the prayer of the petitioner.

5. Heard both the sides and perused the relevant materials. Though the instant matter relates to the recovery of 12.200 kg of narcotic material from an auto from which the petitioner was allegedly apprehended, however, considering the facts that the petitioner is a lady and some other passengers were also travelling with her in the same vehicle who managed

Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.64468 of 2025(2) dt.17-09-2025 3/3 to escape upon seeing the police party and coupled with the petitioner's clean past history, her custody period and completion of investigation against her, this Court is inclined to release her on bail. Accordingly, let the petitioner named-above be released on bail on furnishing bail bond of Rs. 20,000/- (Rupees Twenty Thousand) with two sureties of the like amount each to the satisfaction of the court concerned in connection with Industrial Area P.S. Case No. 226 of 2024. (Shailendra Singh, J) annu/- U T