IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.32378 of 2026 Arising Out of PS. Case No.-178 Year-2026 Thana- PURNEA SADAR District- Purnia ====================================================== Raushan Kumar Gautam S/o Kailash Ram R/o vill- Bhatwara, Thana- Korha, District- Katihar ... ... Petitioner/s Versus The State of Bihar ... ... Opposite Party/s ====================================================== Appearance : For the Petitioner/s : Mr.Ram Prawesh Kumar, Advocate For the Opposite Party/s : Mrs.Shaheen Begum, APP ====================================================== CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE ARUN KUMAR JHA ORAL ORDER 2 12-05-2026 Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and learned APP for the State. 2. In the present case, the petitioner seeks bail in connection with Sadar P.S. Case No. 178 of 2026, registered for the offences under Sections 274, 275 of the BNS and Section 30(a) of the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act. 3. As per the prosecution case, police received secret information about transportation of illicit liquor on a pick-up vehicle concealing it under potato sacks. The said vehicle was identified and intercepted after chase and this petitioner and coaccused Md. Riyaz were apprehended. On search of the vehicle, recovery of 1131.660 litres of foreign liquor was made apart from potatoes weighing 720 kilos and mobile phones from the petitioner. Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.32378 of 2026(2) dt.12-05-2026 2/3 4. Learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner submits that the petitioner is innocent and he has been falsely implicated in this case. Nothing incriminating has been recovered from the conscious possession of the petitioner. The petitioner is driver of the Mahindra pick-up vehicle and he works on daily wages. He was handed over the vehicle by one Hasrat and was directed to leave it near some petrol pump. The petitioner was having no knowledge about consignment of liquor kept concealed behind the potato sacks. The petitioner has no criminal antecedent and he is in custody since 04.04.2026. 5. Learned APP appearing for the State opposes the submission made on behalf of the petitioner. 6. Having regard to the fact and circumstances and submission made on behalf of the parties and considering the fact that petitioner is said to be the driver of the vehicle and also considering his clean antecedent and period of custody of the petitioner, the petitioner is directed to be released on bail, on furnishing bail bonds of Rs.10,000/- (Rupees Ten Thousand Only) each with two sureties of the like amount each to the satisfaction of learned Exclusive Special Judge (Excise-I), Purnea/concerned court, in connection with Sadar P.S. Case No. Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.32378 of 2026(2) dt.12-05-2026 3/3 178 of 2026, subject to the condition laid down under Section 480(3) of the BNSS and other following conditions: (i) One of the bailors will be a close relative of the petitioner. (ii) The petitioner will remain present on each and every date fixed by the court below, if so required by the learned trial court. (iii) In case of absence on three consecutive dates or in violation of the terms of the bail, the bail bond of the petitioner will be liable to be cancelled by the court concerned. Anuradha/- (Arun Kumar Jha, J) U T