Patna High Court Sets New Bail Record in Liquor Cases
The Patna High Court made legal history on Monday. It granted a staggering 463 bails in cases related to prohibition. This number includes both regular and anticipatory bails. The court shattered its previous single-day record of over 300 bails.
Court Criticizes Poor Implementation of Liquor Laws
While granting these bails, the court delivered sharp criticism. Justice Rudra Prakash Mishra presided over a single bench. He observed that poor implementation of liquor laws by authorities has created a massive burden. This burden falls directly on the courts.
The court expressed clear astonishment at a specific practice. Even in cases where only small quantities of liquor were recovered, the accused faced incarceration. Justice Mishra highlighted this issue during the hearings.
Swift Disposal at a "Hurricane Pace"
The court heard a total of 508 liquor-related cases on that day. From these, it granted over 463 bails. Justice Mishra lauded the efforts of the public prosecutors. He credited them for facilitating the swift disposal of cases.
The court described the pace of work as "hurricane pace." Prosecutors efficiently highlighted key facts for each case. These facts included the criminal antecedents of the accused. They also covered the quantity of liquor recovered and the duration of the petitioner's incarceration.
Team Effort by Assistant Public Prosecutors
A dedicated team of Assistant Public Prosecutors (APPs) assisted the bench. Key contributors included Renu Kumari, Veena Kumari Jaiswal, and Choubey Jawahar. Nityanand Mishra, Md Nazrul Haque, and Gulnar Begum also played crucial roles. Dozens of other APPs supported the proceedings.
Their collective work enabled the court to process this unprecedented number of bail petitions efficiently. The record-breaking day underscores systemic issues in the enforcement of prohibition laws in Bihar.
