Patna High Court grants bail in record 463 cases in a day — most related to liquor

There were 508 matters listed before the court of Justice R P Mishra on Monday, of which 33 cases were adjourned. The court rejected bail in 12 matters, while granting bail in the remaining 463 cases.

A senior Patna High Court advocate, who was present during the hearing, told The Indian Express, “All liquor cases were clubbed, but categorised on the basis of the quantity of seized liquor. The category of seizures ranged from one bottle (750 ml) to two-three bottles. Some other cases were of second- or third-time liquor consumption offence. As the advocates concerned read out case by case, bail was granted with the court saying, ‘granted’. Bail was rejected in cases in which the accused had serious criminal antecedents.”

While handing out the bail grants, Justice Mishra observed, “The poor implementation of the liquor law has increased pendency of bail matters in court.”

Advocates Nityanand Mishra, Renu Devi and Veena Devi told reporters that the court basically looked at an accused’s “criminal antecedents and days spent in jail” as prime consideration for granting bail. Additional public prosecutors said the court took exception at longer imprisonment of accused from whom just a small quantity of liquor had been seized.

Government sources said that about 13,000 bail pleas regarding liquor cases have been pending before Bihar’s lower courts and the Patna High Court.

As per Bihar government figures as of January 19, a total of 60 jails in the state have 50,573 inmates. Of these, 10,402 were booked under the liquor law.

In December, then Chief Justice of India N V Ramana had said at a seminar in Vijaywada, “Bihar’s liquor law is short-sighted and lacks foresight in drafting the legislation.” He was speaking in the context of cases clogging up courts. His observation, however, had led to the Bihar government diluting several stringent provisions.

From the implementation of the liquor law in April 2016 to January 2025, the Bihar Police and Excise Department have lodged 9.36 lakh cases, arresting over 14 lakh people.