Raj Kumar @ Raju Vs State of Punjab (Punjab and Haryana High Court)
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has granted regular bail to an individual, Raj Kumar @ Raju, who was arrested in connection with a case under the Excise Act and the recently introduced Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The court’s decision, issued after considering the petitioner’s period of incarceration, the likely duration of the trial, and established legal precedents, overrode the State’s opposition, which had cited the seriousness of the allegations and the petitioner’s prior criminal history. The ruling underscores the principle that a criminal record alone may not be a sufficient reason to deny bail.
The case stemmed from a First Information Report (FIR) registered on July 17, 2025, at Police Station Shahpurkandi, District Pathankot. The FIR alleged that the police, acting on a secret tip, raided a location where the petitioner was found sitting with a plastic can. Upon seeing the police, the petitioner allegedly attempted to flee but was apprehended. A search of the can reportedly yielded 36 bottles of illegal liquor, totaling 27000 milliliters. The police report also noted the petitioner’s criminal record, listing four previous cases registered against him under the Excise Act. The FIR further charged the petitioner with keeping illegal liquor made from “poisonous/health hazardous substances,” claiming he was playing with the lives of people.
