The Patna High Court has imposed a fine of ₹50,000 on Bihar government officials and declared the sealing of a residential house under the prohibition law illegal, citing lack of legal basis. The judgment was delivered by Justice Arun Kumar Jha on the criminal writ petition filed by Neelam Kumari.
The case pertains to Hanuman Nagar in Jehanabad district, where around 8.5 litres of foreign liquor were recovered from Neelam Kumari’s son on October 6, 2019. Investigations found no involvement of Neelam Kumari in the matter.
However, two years later, on January 31, 2022, the police unexpectedly sealed Neelam Kumari’s house. Her lawyers argued before the court that a house or property cannot be sealed in a liquor seizure case if the owner is not involved.
The High Court agreed, stating that the prohibition law cannot be used to seal a property after a two-year gap. The court also ordered the immediate release of Neelam Kumari’s house.
Bihar has had a complete ban on alcohol since 2016. Despite this, such incidents have occasionally come to light. The court clarified that in cases involving liquor-related offences, any government action against a property will be considered illegal unless the involvement of the property owner is proven.
