Allowed¶24

Rajendra @ Raja Dodwadia @ Raju Dodwadia v. The State of Bihar

Patna HC19 May 2026CR. MISC./34279/2026

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Anticipatory bail granted; Excise P.S. Case No. 255 of 2026, Muzaffarpur; Sections 30(a), 32(3) Bihar Prohibit & Excise (Amendment) Act, 2022; illicit liquor truck RJ-47-GA8313 from Haryana; 3,888 litres foreign liquor recovered; petitioners named only by arrested driver/cleaner in confessional statement; clean antecedents; bail bond Rs. 10,000 each with two sureties; Section 482(2) BNSS conditions; Crl. Misc. No. 34279 of 2026; decided 19-05-2026.

What did the court decide?

Anticipatory bail: release on bail upon arrest or surrender within six weeks, on a bail bond of Rs. 10,000/- each with two sureties of the like amount, subject to Section 482(2) BNSS conditions and a criminal-antecedent verification condition. ¶24

Rajendra @ Raja Dodwadia @ Raju Dodwadia Vs The State of Bihar — Anticipatory Bail | Patna HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

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Issue for consideration

Whether the petitioners, who apprehend arrest in Excise P.S. Case No. 255 of 2026 (offences under Sections 30(a) and 32(3) of the Bihar Prohibit & Excise (Amendment) Act, 2022), should be released on bail in the event of arrest or surrender.

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Court's answer

The petitioners were not apprehended on the spot; they are neither the driver nor the owner of the seized truck, and their names transpired only through the confessional statement of the accused persons (driver and cleaner) who were apprehended on the spot; the petitioners have clean antecedents.

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Ratio / Principle

Bail granted: in the event of arrest or surrender within six weeks, the petitioners are to be released on bail on furnishing a bail bond of Rs. 10,000/- (Ten Thousand) each with two sureties of the like amount each to the satisfaction of the learned Exclusive Special Judge, Excise II, Muzaffapur, in connection with Excise P.S. Case No. 255 of 2026, subject to the conditions laid down under Section 482(2) of the B.N.S.S., with the further condition that the court concerned shall verify the petitioners' criminal antecedents and shall take steps for cancellation of the bail bonds if concealment of antecedents is found at any stage, without delaying acceptance of the bail bonds for purposes of verification.

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Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Patna High Court (Ritesh Kumar, J.), by oral order dated 19-05-2026 in Crl. Misc. No. 34279 of 2026, granted anticipatory bail to three petitioners apprehending arrest in Excise P.S. Case No. 255 of 2026 (Muzaffarpur), registered under Sections 30(a) and 32(3) of the Bihar Prohibit & Excise (Amendment) Act, 2022, arising out of recovery of 3,888 litres of foreign liquor from an Ashok Leyland truck (RJ-47-GA8313) sent from Haryana. Granting bail, the Court noted that the petitioners were not apprehended on the spot, are neither the driver nor the owner of the truck, and were named only in the confessional statement of the arrested driver (Manmohan) and cleaner (Rampal Verma), and that they have clean antecedents. On arrest or surrender within six weeks, the petitioners are to be released on a bail bond of Rs. 10,000/- each with two sureties of the like amount to the satisfaction of the Exclusive Special Judge, Excise II, Muzaffapur, subject to Section 482(2) BNSS conditions and verification of criminal antecedents, acceptance of bail bonds not to be delayed for verification.

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.34279 of 2026

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Arising Out of PS. Case No.-255 Year-2026 Thana- Excise P.S. District- Muzaffarpur

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

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Rajendra @ Raja Dodwadia @ Raju Dodwadia S/o Narayan Ram @ Narayan R/O village- Balyawas Tan Karad, P.S - Danta Ram Gardh, District - Sikar, Rajasthan

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Mahendra Singh @ Mahendra Singh Khirhar S/o Bhagwan Sahay R/o vill - Pachar, P.S.- Pachar, Distt.- Sikar, Rajasthan

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Bhagwan Sahay @ Bhagwan Sahay Siyak @ B.S. S/o Gangaram Siyak R/o Malbhawali Kothi Boraj Dhani Phulera, P.s.- Phulera, Distt.- Jaipur, Rajasthan

... ... Petitioner/s

Versus

The State of Bihar

... ... Opposite Party/s

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====================================================== Appearance : For the Petitioner/s : Mr.Nawal Kishor Prasad, Advocate For the Opposite Party/s : Mr.Anil Kumar, APP ======================================================

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CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE RITESH KUMAR ORAL ORDER

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2 19-05-2026 Heard the learned counsel for the petitioners and the

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learned A.P.P. for the State.

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The petitioners apprehend their arrest in connection with Excise P.S. Case No. 255 of 2026 registered for the offences punishable under Sections 30(a), 32(3) of the Bihar Prohibit & Excise (Amendment) Act, 2022.

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As per the prosecution story which has been lodged

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on the basis of the written report submitted by the informant to the effect that on 06.02.2026, the informant received a secret information that Rajendra @ Raja Dodwadia @ Raju Dodwadia (petitioner no. 1) and Mahendra Singh (petitioner no. 2) had sent

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Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.34279 of 2026(2) dt.19-05-2026 2/4

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Ashok Leyland Truck bearing Registration No. RJ-47-GA8313, loaded with illicit liquor from Haryana and the vehicle is standing at Muzaffarpur and the driver and cleaner of the truck are taking food. Upon receiving such information, to verify the authenticity of the said information, the informant along with police party reached near the place where the truck is said ot have been parked and found the driver and cleaner to be sitting in the truck. The driver and cleaner were arrested and on query, they disclosed their names as Manmohan and Rampal Verma. On search, 3,888 litres of foreign liquor of different brands contained in different sizes of bottles were recovered from the said truck. They disclosed the names of the petitioners to be the persons who had sent the consignment.

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The learned counsel for the petitioners submits that the petitioners are innocent and have not committed any offence. The name of the petitioners transpired in this case on the basis of confessional statement of the driver and cleaner (codriver). He further submits that although the driver and the cleaner (co-driver) had taken the names of the petitioners, but they did not name the owner of the truck, since there is business dispute in between the parties. The petitioners have got no concern with the seized liquor or with the seized truck. He

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Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.34279 of 2026(2) dt.19-05-2026 3/4

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further submits that petitioners have got a clean antecedent.

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The learned A.P.P. for the State opposes the prayer for bail and submits that huge quantity of liquor was recovered from the truck and two persons were apprehended on the spot who took the names of the petitioners in their confessional statement.

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Having considered the rival submissions and after going through the records, it appears that petitioners were not apprehended on the spot. The petitioners are neither the driver nor the owner of the said truck and their names transpired on the basis of confessional statement of the accused persons, who were apprehended on the spot. The petitioners have got a clean antecedents. Considering the facts, let the petitioners, above named, in the event of arrest or surrender within a period of six weeks, be released on bail on furnishing bail bond of Rs. 10,000/- (Ten Thousand) each with two sureties of the like amount each to the satisfaction of the learned Exclusive Special Judge, Excise II, Muzaffapur, in connection with Excise P.S. Case No. 255 of 2026, subject to the conditions as laid down under Section 482(2) of the B.N.S.S., with further condition:

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(i) The learned Court concerned shall verify the criminal antecedent of the petitioners and in case at any stage, it

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Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.34279 of 2026(2) dt.19-05-2026 4/4

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is found that the petitioners have concealed their criminal antecedents, the court concerned shall take steps for cancellation of bail bond of the petitioners. However, the acceptance of bail bonds in terms of the above-mentioned order shall not be delayed for purpose of or in the name of verification.

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(Ritesh Kumar, J)

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vinita/- U T

Rajendra @ Raja Dodwadia @ Raju Dodwadia v. The State of Bihar

Case brief

What is this about?

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Rajendra @ Raja Dodwadia @ Raju Dodwadia v. The State of Bihar

Case brief

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