Sanoj Manjhi v. The State Of Bihar

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA

CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.84227 of 2023 Arising Out of PS. Case No.-201 Year-2023 Thana- AMNAUR District- Saran ====================================================== 1.

Sanoj Manjhi, aged about 40 years (male) Son of Indradeo Manjhi Resident of Village - Sheikhpura, Police Station -Amnaur, District- Saran. 2.

Mani Manjhi, aged about 66 years (male) Son of Indradeo Manjhi Resident of Village - Sheikhpura, Police Station -Amnaur, District- Saran. ... ... Petitioner/s

Versus

The State of Bihar.

... ... Opposite Party/s ====================================================== Appearance :

For the Petitioner/s :

Mr. Avnish Kumar Singh, Advocate.

For the Opposite Party/s :

Mr. Parmanand Prasad, A.P.P.

====================================================== CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE CHANDRA PRAKASH SINGH ORAL ORDER 22-01-2024 Learned counsel for the petitioners is permitted to remove the defect(s), as pointed out by the office, if any, within a period of three weeks from today.

2. Heard learned counsel for the petitioners and learned Additional Public Prosecutor for the State.

3. The petitioners are apprehending their arrest in connection with Amnaur P.S Case No. 201 of 2023 dated 26.08.2023 for the offences punishable u/s 30(a) of the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act.

4. As per the prosecution case, total 50 litres of illicit liquor was recovered from the plastic bag allegedly

Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.84227 of 2023(2) dt.22-01-2024 2/3 thrown by the accused persons.

5. Learned counsel for the petitioners has submitted that the petitioners have falsely been implicated in this case. It is further submitted that local chaukidar disclosed the name of the petitioners. The said bag was not thrown by the petitioners. The petitioners have one criminal antecedent as stated at para 3 of the bail petition. No incriminating article has been recovered from the conscious possession of the petitioners, hence no case is made out. Learned Counsel has relied on the judgment of Full Bench of Hon'ble Patna High Court in the case of Ram Vinay Yadav vs. State of Bihar reported in 2019 (2) PLJR 1089. The Full Bench in the case of Ram Vinay Yadav (supra) has held that an application for anticipatory bail in a case arising out of Bihar Excise and Prohibition Act can be maintained, despite the bar under Section 76 (2) of the Act, if on the basis of allegation made in the FIR, no offence under the said provision is made out.

6. Learned A.P.P. for the State has vehemently opposed the prayer for anticipatory bail of the petitioners by submitting that the bar of Section 76(2) of the Act applies in

Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.84227 of 2023(2) dt.22-01-2024 3/3 this case.

7. Considering the aforesaid facts and circumstances of the case as well as the nature of allegation against the petitioners, let the above named petitioners, in the event of their arrest/surrender within a period of six weeks from today, be enlarged on anticipatory 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 learned court concerned, Saran at Chapra in connection with Amnaur P.S Case No. 201 of 2023, subject to conditions as laid down under section 438(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

(Chandra Prakash Singh, J) Nilmani/- U T