An Indian court in the eastern state of Jharkhand has acquitted the main accused in a drug trafficking case after police claimed that nearly 200 kilograms of seized cannabis had been eaten by rats while stored in a warehouse.
According to Indian media reports, the case dates back to 2022, when police stopped a vehicle on a national highway in Jharkhand and claimed to have recovered a large quantity of cannabis hidden inside it. The seized drugs were estimated to be worth around three crore Pakistani rupees.
During the trial, police informed the court that the confiscated cannabis could not be produced as evidence because rats had allegedly consumed it while it was kept in storage. Police officers told the court that the drugs were no longer available for presentation.
The judge rejected this explanation, stating that such a claim raised serious doubts about the entire procedure followed by the police in handling the case. The court strongly criticized the police for severe negligence in preserving evidence.
The court also highlighted several contradictions in the statements of police witnesses. These included inconsistencies about the exact location and timing of the vehicle stop, who had taken the accused into custody, and how other alleged accomplices managed to escape.
The judgment further noted that despite the alleged recovery of such a large quantity of drugs on a busy highway near residential areas, no independent civilian witnesses were included in the operation.
In addition, the prosecution failed to establish any clear link between the accused and the vehicle from which the cannabis was allegedly recovered.
The court ruled that the charges had not been proven beyond a reasonable doubt. It stated that when no physical evidence remains, and the chain of custody is broken, the benefit of the doubt must be given to the accused.
As a result, the court ordered the acquittal of the main accused, clearing him of all charges in the case.