A local court in Bihar has granted major legal relief to Neha Jha, who had been in judicial custody following the recovery of illicit foreign liquor from an air-conditioned first-class coach at Samastipur Junction. Neha Jha had been lodged in prison since September 4, and her regular bail plea was formally approved on Monday, September 28. Following the completion of the mandatory court procedures and documentation, she walked out of prison after spending 24 days behind bars.
Foreign Liquor Consignment Uncovered Inside Train Coupe
The incident stems from an inspection carried out aboard the Swatantrata Senani Express at Samastipur Junction. Enforcement personnel searched coupe H-1 inside the train's AC First coach, leading to the recovery of roughly 75 litres of foreign liquor. Officials took Neha Jha along with her brother-in-law, Ishan Kumar, into custody immediately after the liquor was discovered in their compartment. Both accused were subsequently produced before the judicial magistrate, who remanded them to judicial custody on September 4.
Timeline of Court Hearings Leading to Relief
Following her remand, legal counsel representing Neha Jha approached the court seeking regular bail. The initial hearing on her bail plea took place on September 14, but the court did not grant bail on that day and adjourned the matter to September 24. On September 24, proceedings could not take place as practicing advocates abstained from judicial work following the demise of a female advocate. The court then rescheduled the hearing for September 28. During the resumed hearing on Monday, the court accepted the regular bail petition, clearing the decks for her release once the necessary bail bonds and formalities were processed.
Co-Accused Ishan Kumar Continues in Custody
While Neha Jha secured her release through the court order, there has been no change in the status of her co-accused and brother-in-law, Ishan Kumar. Court records indicate that no bail application has been moved on behalf of Ishan Kumar so far in connection with the seizure. Consequently, he remains lodged in judicial custody pending any future petition submitted before the court.
Illicit Liquor Network Unearthed in Muzaffarpur
In a related crackdown on the prohibited liquor trade across Bihar, the excise department recently dismantled a spurious liquor manufacturing and smuggling racket operating in Muzaffarpur district. Enforcement squads carried out targeted raids across multiple locations, taking three individuals into custody, including one woman. Over the course of the operation, authorities confiscated 800 litres of raw spirit, 35 cartons of foreign liquor, and various manufacturing implements used to bottle and distribute counterfeit alcohol.
Spirit Drums Recovered from Cattle Fodder Storage
The initial raid in the Muzaffarpur crackdown was conducted under the direct supervision of Inspector Prakash Kumar and Sub-Inspector Abhimanyu Singh. Acting on actionable intelligence, the raiding squad apprehended an accused individual named Shatrughan Mahto. A detailed search of his premises led to the discovery of four large drums containing 800 litres of concealed spirit hidden inside a fodder storage shed near his residence, alongside numerous water jars meant for dilution and mixing.
