Banka: Eight persons have been awarded five years of rigorous imprisonment and a penalty of Rs 1 lakh each in Banka district under the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, 2016 for consuming liquor and creating nuisance in public.

Interestingly, the conviction came through speedy trial within 21 days of the arrests of the people who flouted the liquor ban. Banka superintendent of police (SP) Chandan Kushwaha told The Telegraph that the special court (prohibition) of additional district and sessions judge - II, Alok Kumar Sinha pronounced the sentence at the conclusion of the speedy trial of the case on November 30.

"Trials were started within eight days of the arrests and conviction was done under section 37 (c) of the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, 2016," Kushwaha said.

The order was in the case number 252/17 registered at Belhar police station on November 9 against Dhananjay Manjhi, Pacho Manjhi, Subash Manjhi, Pappu Manjhi, Sitaram Manjhi, Manav Manjhi, Sudin Manjhi ( all from Belhar police station areas) and Julmi Manjhi from Sangrampur police station in neighbouring Munger district.

All of them were arrested in a drunken state for creating ruckus at Hariyasi More Nahar. The medial examination conducted by the police confirmed presence of alcohol. They later confessed they had consumed liquor in neigbouring Jharkhand and returned to Bihar. Banka is located on the Bihar-Jharkhand border.

Kushwaha, supervised the case himself and directed Srikant Chouhan, a sub-inspector (SI) rank officer, to file a chargesheet against the accused within 24 hours. After filling the chargesheet, Kushwaha approached the district and sessions judge, Banka, and requested speedy trial. The court started speedy trial and another SI-rank police officer, Suvo Kant Choudhary, was assigned to coordinate between the police and the court.

With timely production of all witnesses in the case, the court managed to deliver judgment in just eight dates spread across 21 days.

Special public prosecutor Awadhesh Kumar Singh pleaded before the court for punishing the accused persons, while Ram Kishore Yadav was represented the defense side.

Kushwaha said the judgment was first of its kind in the state as so many persons were convicted for flouting prohibition. "It would give a massage and people would easily understand the consequences of consuming liquor," he said.

Family members of the accused said they were poor tribals who enjoyed liquor in the neighbouring state while there to attend a ritual.

They asserted that "liquor was as important as Ganga water in the tribal society and no ritual could be performed without it. The police arrested our people after they participated in one such ritual and were returning home. The police framed them with allegations of creating nuisance in public place."

The defense lawyer said his clients would pray in the higher courts for relief.