In an incident that sounds like a plot from a satirical film, a court in Jharkhand has acquitted individuals in a narcotics case after the police reported that rats had consumed a massive quantity of seized cannabis. The bizarre claim has thrown a spotlight on the integrity of evidence storage and handling procedures within law enforcement agencies.
The Curious Case of the Disappearing Ganja
Last month, a court in Jharkhand delivered a verdict that hinged on an unusual explanation from the police. The prosecution's case involved the seizure of a substantial amount of ganja, a key piece of evidence. However, when presented in court, the police cited a station diary entry stating that the 200 kilograms of seized ganja had been gnawed and eaten by rats. The court, taking a dim view of this explanation, acquitted the accused. The judge noted that this incident "casts a suspicion on the very seizure of the case and its handling by the police."
A Global Pattern of Rodent Interference?
While the Jharkhand case might seem uniquely absurd, it is not without precedent. In 2022, in Mathura, police reported that rats had destroyed over 500 kg of confiscated cannabis. Moving beyond India's borders, a similar situation unfolded in Houston, Texas, in 2024. Authorities there discovered that rodents had infested a storage facility containing marijuana evidence. The CEO of the Houston Forensic Science Centre was quoted humorously yet gravely stating, "Think about it, they are drug-addicted rats. They're tough to deal with."
Implications for the Justice System
This series of events points to a systemic issue far more serious than a rodent infestation. The primary function of police evidence rooms is to preserve material proof in a secure and uncontaminated state. When such large quantities of evidence can allegedly be devoured by pests, it fundamentally undermines the chain of custody and the credibility of the prosecution. The court's decision in Jharkhand underscores this legal principle. While the possibility of "drug-addicted rats" becoming a public menace is a concerning notion, the judicial focus rightly remains on establishing the concrete facts of evidence preservation—or the lack thereof. The incident serves as a stark reminder for law enforcement agencies nationwide to audit and fortify their evidence storage protocols to prevent such explanations from jeopardizing serious criminal cases.
