Madhya Pradesh high court raps Indore police after rats destroy evidence

The Indore police claimed that samples of cases, including a homicide matter, had been destroyed by rodents

Published on: Oct 11, 2024, 13:48:04 IST

By HT News Desk

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The Madhya Pradesh High Court pulled up the Indore police for the destruction of several evidence by rats.

Indore police told the Madhya Pradesh high court that rats had destroyed 29 samples of evidence (PTI)

Close to 29 samples, including evidence in a homicide case, had been destroyed, which the court noted was a showcase of the “pathetic condition” in which evidence is stored in police stations, reported The Indian Express.

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The matter came into focus when the court was hearing a bail application moved by Ansar Ahmad, who was accused of beating his wife Tahira B in August 2021, causing injuries to her head, hand and spine.

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Tahira died during treatment, after which the police registered a case under sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the IPC.

On October 4, Abhinay Vishwakarma, DCP Zone 2, along with Vijay Nagar Station House Officer Chandrakant Patel, were called to testify.

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The DCP explained to the court that the “viscera” from the case was stored in plastic cans which were damaged by rats during the monsoon season. He claimed that due to this, 29 different samples could no longer be used.

Justice Subodh Abhyankar criticised the police for not taking into account the safety of the materials.

“Although nothing can be done about this spilt milk, at least this incident has also brought into the light the pathetic condition in which the articles/material collected during investigation is kept in the police stations of the state,” reported The Indian Express.

The high court instructed the Madhya Pradesh police chief to “take stock” of all the storage areas/ ‘malkhanas’ in the police stations to avoid such an incident in the future.

The DCP also assured the court that a departmental inquiry was being conducted against the malkhana in charge and the SHO over the issue.

Items in the malkhana had also been shifted to a sanitised and sealed area.

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