#CG Excise Act

The Chhattisgarh High Court granted regular bail to an accused possessing 20 liters of illicit mahua liquor, holding that the absence of prior criminal history and the completion of the charge-sheet outweigh the quantity of contraband, provided strict conditions are imposed. This reinforces that pre-trial detention under excise laws must be proportionate and not automatic, even for significant quantities, when personal circumstances and procedural progress favor release.

The Chhattisgarh High Court granted regular bail under Section 483 BNSS to a first-time offender detained for 40 liters of Mahua liquor, holding that prolonged incarceration without trial progress, combined with no criminal record, overrides the non-bailable nature of the offence. This reinforces that economic or non-violent excise offences cannot justify indefinite pre-trial detention when liberty interests under Article 21 are clearly engaged.