In a stunning development highlighting severe investigative lapses, a special court in Ranchi has acquitted the sole accused in a major 2022 narcotics case. The court's decision came after the prosecution failed to substantiate its claims, most notably the police's assertion that 200 kilograms of seized ganja (cannabis) had been consumed by rats while in custody.
A Case Built on Shaky Ground
The case dates back to January 17, 2022, when the Ormanjhi Police in Ranchi district, acting on a tip-off, intercepted a white Bolero vehicle on National Highway 20. The police alleged the vehicle was transporting narcotics from Ranchi towards Ramgarh. According to the prosecution, three occupants fled the vehicle upon being stopped. While Vikas Chaurasia and Kundan Rai escaped, the police apprehended Indrajeet Rai alias Anarjeet Rai.
A search of the vehicle led to the claimed recovery of 200 kg of ganja, packed in approximately 170 packets and hidden in specially created compartments. An FIR was registered under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and Indrajeet Rai was arrested, remaining in custody throughout the trial.
Court Exposes Critical Contradictions and Lapses
However, during the trial, the prosecution's case unraveled. In an order dated December 19, 2025, Additional Judicial Commissioner-III-cum-Special Judge Anand Prakash acquitted Indrajeet Rai, stating the prosecution had failed to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
The court flagged numerous inconsistencies in the testimonies of the seven prosecution witnesses, all police personnel. Key details like the time of interception, exact location of seizure, who caught the accused, and the direction the others fled were contradicted. "There are several contradictions in their statements… which casts a doubt whether the alleged accused was caught at the place as stated by the prosecution or from somewhere else," the court noted.
Further weakening the case, the court observed that no independent public witness was examined despite the seizure allegedly occurring on a busy national highway near residential areas. The prosecution also failed to establish any link between the accused and the seized vehicle. The Investigating Officer admitted the vehicle lacked engine and chassis numbers, a fact not properly recorded.
The 'Rat-Eaten' Evidence and Faulty Handling
The most bizarre and damaging blow to the prosecution's credibility was the handling of the central evidence—the seized narcotics. When required to produce the contraband in court in 2024, the police submitted a station diary entry stating the 200 kg of ganja had been destroyed by rodents in the police malkhana (storage).
The court sharply criticized this, stating, "This casts a suspicion on the very seizure of the case and its handling by the police." The judgment also pointed out serious gaps in the sampling, sealing, and preservation of evidence, with witnesses unable to clearly state when samples were drawn or how they were marked.
Ultimately, holding that the prosecution could not correlate the accused with the vehicle or prove the seizure beyond doubt, the court ordered Rai's acquittal and release, provided he is not wanted in any other case. This ruling underscores critical flaws in procedural adherence in sensitive NDPS Act investigations.
