Sahdev Manjhi @ Sahadev Manjhi Vs The State of Bihar — Anticipatory Bail | Patna HC (2026)

Sahdev Manjhi @ Sahadev Manjhi Vs The State of Bihar — Anticipatory Bail | Patna HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Pre-arrest bail: release in the event of arrest or surrender before the learned district court within four weeks, on furnishing a bank guarantee equal to the value of the seized forest produce, a bail bond of Rs.10,000 with two sureties of the like amount each to the satisfaction of learned J.M. F.C., Gayaji/concerned court, subject to Section 482(2) BNSS 2023 conditions; order lapses automatically if other criminal antecedents are verified.

Issue for consideration

Whether the petitioner, implicated in Forest P.S. Case No.3 of 2016 (Sections 33, 41 and 42, Indian Forest Act, 1927) for transporting notified 'Bel' fruit, is entitled to pre-arrest bail.

Court's answer

Considering that the offences under Sections 33, 41 and 42 of the Indian Forest Act are compoundable, the petitioner is directed to be released on pre-arrest bail in the event of his arrest or surrender before the learned district court within four weeks, on furnishing a bank guarantee equal to the value of the seized forest produce along with a bail bond of Rs.10,000 with two sureties of the like amount each, subject to the conditions under Section 482(2) of BNSS 2023.

Ratio / Principle

The learned district court is directed to verify the petitioner's criminal antecedents; if he is found involved in other cases as stated in paragraph No.3 of the bail application, this order will automatically lose its force.

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Pre-arrest bail — Patna High Court grants anticipatory bail to the petitioner in Forest P.S. Case No.3 of 2016 (District Gaya), registered under Sections 33, 41 and 42 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927, for transporting 'Bel' fruit from a notified forest area for sale; the offences being compoundable, release is ordered on furnishing a bank guarantee equal to the value of the seized forest produce together with a Rs.10,000 bail bond and two like sureties, subject to Section 482(2) BNSS 2023 conditions; the order automatically loses force if verification discloses the other criminal antecedents stated in paragraph No.3 of the bail application.

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.11947 of 2026

Arising Out of PS. Case No.-3 Year-2016 Thana- FOREST (GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL) District- Gaya

======================================================

Sahdev Manjhi @ Sahadev Manjhi Son of Late Chotri Manjhi Resident of Village Ragaini, Police Station - Gurpa, District - Gaya.

... ... Petitioner/s

Versus The State of Bihar ... ... Opposite Party/s ====================================================== Appearance : For the Petitioner/s : Mr.Sheikh Arkan Ahmad, Advocate For the Opposite Party/s : Mr.Zainul Abedin, APP ======================================================

... ... Opposite Party/s

CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE PURNENDU SINGH ORAL ORDER

2 12-03-2026 Heard learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner and the learned APP for the State.

Petitioner seeks pre-arrest bail in connection with

Forest P.S.Case No.3 of 2016, registered for the offences punishable under Sections 33, 41 and 42 of Indian forest Act.

As per the allegation made in the FIR, the petitioner was found transporting ‘ Bel’ from the area notified for forest to sell them in the market.

Learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner submitted that the offence has been alleged under Sections 33, 41 and 42 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927 and the same is compoundable and seeks that the petitioner be released on bail.

Learned APP for the State vehemently opposed the prayer for grant of pre-arrest bail to the petitioner having found that he has illegally stored the ‘ Bel ’ fruit to sell them in the

Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.11947 of 2026(2) dt.12-03-2026 2/2

market. Bel fruit has been notified, vide Notification No.CPF10148/52-23R dated 02.01.1953 to be prohibited.

Having considered the rival submissions made on behalf of the parties, as well as, considering the fact that the offences being compoundable, the petitioner is directed to be released on pre-arrest bail, in the event of his arrest or surrender before the learned district court within a period of four weeks from today, on furnishing a bank guarantee equal to the value of the seized forest produce , along with a bail bond of Rs.10,000/(Ten Thousand) with two sureties of the like amount each to the satisfaction of learned J.M. F.C., Gayaji/concerned court, in connection with Forest P.S.Case No.3 of 2016, subject to conditions as laid down under Section 482(2) of BNSS of 2023

The learned district court is directed to verify the criminal antecedent of the petitioner and if it is found that the petitioner is involved in some other cases as what has been stated in paragraph No.3 of the bail application, this order will automatically lose its force.

(Purnendu Singh, J)

chn/- U T