Manoj Singh @ Manoj Kumar v. The State of Bihar
Case brief
What is this about?
Patna High Court, Criminal Miscellaneous No. 6157 of 2025, decided 22-03-2025 by Justice Sourendra Pandey (oral order). Anticipatory bail allowed to Manoj Singh @ Manoj Kumar in Ahiyapur P.S. Case No. 1152 of 2024, Muzaffarpur (Sections 30(a) and 41, Bihar Prohibition of Excise Act). Prosecution case: 648 litres of illicit foreign liquor recovered on 25.08.2024 from a tempo belonging to a different Manoj Singh, driver Sitaram Singh; petitioner not apprehended at the spot and nothing recovered from his conscious possession; one criminal antecedent disclosed. Bail bond Rs. 10,000 with two sureties of like amount; arrest/surrender within six weeks; conditions of Section 482(2) BNSS apply; court below to verify ownership of the Bajaj Maxima CNG tempo via chassis and engine numbers — if petitioner is found to be the actual owner, the order loses effect.
What did the court decide?
Anticipatory bail allowed: petitioner to be enlarged on bail upon arrest/surrender within six weeks, on furnishing bail bond of Rs. 10,000/- with two sureties of the like amount each, subject to Section 482(2) B.N.S.S. conditions; order contingent on the court below verifying ownership of the seized tempo (order loses effect if petitioner found to be actual owner).