Patna High Court - Orders
Ram Pravesh Mandal @ Banthu Mandal vs The State Of Bihar on 25 February, 2026
Author: Ajit Kumar
Bench: Ajit Kumar
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
CRIMINAL MISCELLANEOUS No.10242 of 2026
Arising Out of PS. Case No.-35 Year-2023 Thana- FOREST (GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL)
District- Munger
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Ram Pravesh Mandal @ Banthu Mandal S/o Sulen Mandal R/o Village-
Ramsir, PS- Kiul, Distt.- Lakhisarai, Bihar
... ... Petitioner/s
Versus
The State of Bihar
... ... Opposite Party/s
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Appearance :
For the Petitioner/s : Mr. Rabi Bhushan
For the Opposite Party/s : Mrs. Madhuri Lata
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CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE AJIT KUMAR
ORAL ORDER
2 25-02-2026Heard the parties.
2. Petitioner apprehends his arrest in connection with Case No.35C2/2023, registered for the offence punishable under Sections 26, 33, 41, 42 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927 and 17A, 27, 29 and 32 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
3. As per the FIR, the patrolling party noticed a tractor plying on the road. On seeing the police party, the driver of the tractor managed to escape, leaving the vehicle behind. The tractor was allegedly loaded with stone chips illegally brought from the forest area. The said tractor was seized, and local people disclosed the name of the petitioner as its owner.
4. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner is innocent and has been falsely implicated in this case. He further submits that the stone chips were lying on the Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.10242 of 2026(2) dt.25-02-2026 2/3 ground and were not found loaded on the tractor belonging to the petitioner, which is evident from the seizure list prepared by the Forest Department, appended as Annexure-P/1. It is contended that the petitioner has been made an accused merely on suspicion. The driver of the tractor, who was plying the same, has already been taken into judicial custody. He further submits that the petitioner undertakes to ensure that no such allegation is levelled against him in the future, and if upon verification the allegations are found to be true, liberty may be reserved to the State officials to take steps for cancellation of the bail bonds. Lastly, it is submitted that the petitioner has three criminal antecedents of a similar nature.
5. On the other hand, the learned APP for the State has opposed the prayer for bail of the petitioner.
6. Taking into account that the driver has already been taken into judicial custody and considering the undertaking given by the petitioner, let the above named petitioner, be released on bail, in the event of his arrest or surrender before the learned Court below within a period of six weeks from today, on furnishing bail bond of Rs. 10,000/- (Rupees Ten Thousand) with two sureties of the like amount each to the satisfaction of the learned Chief Judicial Magistrate, Lakhisarai/ Successor Patna High Court CR. MISC. No.10242 of 2026(2) dt.25-02-2026 3/3 Court in connection with Case No.35C2 of 2023 subject to the conditions as laid down under Section 482(2) of the BNSS as well as the following conditions:
(i) One of the bailors should be the family member/relative/known of the petitioner(s) who shall provide official document/ personal affidavit to show his/her bona fide;
(ii) the petitioner(s) shall appear on each and every date before the Trial Court and failure to do so for two consecutive dates without plausible reason will entail cancellation of his/her/their bail bond by the Trial Court itself;
(iii) the petitioner(s) shall in no way try to induce or promise or threat the witnesses or tamper with the evidences, failing which the State shall be at liberty to take steps for cancellation of the bail bonds;
(iv) the petitioner(s) shall desist from committing any similar criminal offence again, failing which the State shall be at liberty to take steps for cancellation of their bail bonds.
(Ajit Kumar, J) shikha/-
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