The Madhya Pradesh High Court has reprimanded the Indore police for the destruction of critical evidence, including samples from a homicide case, after they were damaged by rodents. This incident highlights the poor conditions under which evidence is stored in police stations, drawing the court’s ire during a bail hearing for Ansar Ahmad, who faces charges related to the death of his wife, Tahira B.
During the court proceedings, it was revealed that 29 samples, including crucial evidence from the case, had been compromised due to rats damaging the storage containers. Abhinay Vishwakarma, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) for Zone 2, and Chandrakant Patel, Station House Officer for Vijay Nagar, were summoned to testify. DCP Vishwakarma explained that the “viscera” from the case had been kept in plastic cans, which were rendered unusable by rodents during the monsoon season.
Justice Subodh Abhyankar criticized the police for neglecting the safety of evidence materials, stating, “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 investigations are kept in the police stations of the state.”
In response to the incident, the High Court has directed the Madhya Pradesh police chief to conduct an inventory of all storage areas, known as ‘malkhanas,’ in police stations to prevent future occurrences of such negligence. The DCP assured the court that a departmental inquiry is underway regarding the officers responsible for the evidence storage, and measures have been taken to relocate items in the malkhana to a sanitized and sealed area.
This incident underscores the need for systemic improvements within the police department to ensure the integrity of evidence in criminal investigations, emphasizing the importance of proper storage practices.
Sources By Agencies
