Illegal liquor possession: Patna High Court grants bail to suspended JDU MLC Manorama Devi

Suspended JDU MLC Manorama Devi was on Monday granted bail by the Patna High Court in connection with alleged liquor possession at her Gaya residence. The court had on June 1 ruled that mere possession of liquor bottle was not illegal. It said that there are provisions under the Bihar Excise Act for penal action only in cases of "trade and consumption of alcohol."

The ruling had raised hopes for the suspended JD(U) MLC to get bail. The new state Excise Law 2016 states that keeping liquor at home is illegal and could land the owner of the house in jail for up to 10 years for violating the law.

Manorama Devi was booked under the Bihar Excise (Amendment) Act 2016 after liquor bottles were recovered from her house when there was a raid in search of her son Rocky Yadav, accused of killing Aditya Sachdeva in a road rage case.

On May 17,  Manorma Devi surrendered before the Gaya court several days after evading arrest. The court had remanded her to judicial custody.