JUDGMENT

Gurvinder Singh Gill, J. (Oral). - The petitioner has approached this Court seeking grant of anticipatory bail in respect of a case registered vide FIR No. 176 dated 4.11.2021 under Sections 61/1/14 of the Punjab Excise Act, 1914 at Police Station Guruharsahai, District Ferozepur.

2. At the time of issuance of notice of motion on 15.2.2022, the following order was passed :

'The petitioners have approached this Court seeking grant of anticipatory bail in respect of a case registered against them vide FIR No. 176, dated 4.11.2021, Police Station Guruharsahai, District Ferozepur, under Section 61/1/114 of the Punjab Excise Act 1914.

The FIR in question was lodged on the basis of a secret information received by the police to the effect that the petitioner indulged in distilling of illicit liquor. Pursuant to receipt of said information, a raid was conducted and 270 liters of 'Lahan', 4 bottles of illicit liquor and a working still were recovered. However, the petitioner was not arrested at the spot.

Learned counsel for the petitioner has submitted that he has falsely been implicated in the present case and that the very fact that despite prior information the police was unable to