Anticipatory bail refused in Deoghar tobacco pan-masala and cigarette storage case
Police booked a trader in Deoghar for storing banned tobacco pan-masala and cigarette cartons without a GST bill. The High Court recorded the COTPA charge and the state ban. The court dismissed the anticipatory bail plea.
This page records what the cited court records say happened. Findings belong to the court or authority that made them; this register adds none of its own. Names of private individuals are withheld unless a naming gate clears them.
How we verify →Anticipatory bail stands dismissed and the trial-court prosecution remains pending.
What happened
The High Court recorded that the underlying matter is Deoghar Town P.S. Case No. 122 of 2022, pending before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Deoghar.
Police alleged that five gunny bags of tobacco pan-masala and cigarette cartons without a GST bill were found stored in a house said to belong to the petitioner.
The High Court recorded that tobacco pan-masala has already been banned by the Government of Jharkhand.
The High Court recorded that an earlier anticipatory bail plea (A.B.A. No. 7468 of 2022) was dismissed for default and another (A.B.A. No. 1628 of 2026) was dismissed as withdrawn with liberty to move the trial court, and that a notice under Section 35(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 had been issued.
The High Court held that no fresh ground was made out and dismissed the anticipatory bail petition.
What the record says
“There is direct allegation against this petitioner of keeping five gunny bags of tobacco pan masala and some cigarettes cartels without GST bill”
Jharkhand High Court, A.B.A. No. 4074 of 2026, order dated 24 July 2026 — read the full text
No complaining victim
The alleged act is storing and selling tobacco products banned by the state; no individual complaining victim, violence, or minors were alleged for the tobacco charge itself.
What we could not confirm
Exact seizure date in 2022 could not be confirmed from the order excerpt; only the 2022 police case number is confirmed. Sections 188, 269, 270, 420 and Epidemic Diseases Act were also charged for the same storage, but no individual cheated person or victim of violence is named; the tobacco allegation itself has no complaining victim.