Rats destroyed 200 kg of marijuana? Jharkhand police claim leaves court stunned

RANCHI: In a development that has left the judiciary shocked, a Ranchi court acquitted the prime accused in a high-profile narcotics case after police informed the court that nearly 200 kilograms of seized marijuana, worth Rs 1 crore, had allegedly been destroyed by rats while stored in police custody.The marijuana was seized in January 2022 by Ormanjhi police during a vehicle check on NH-20.Acting on a tip-off, the police intercepted a white Bolero allegedly carrying a large consignment of narcotics from Ranchi towards Ramgarh. As the vehicle was stopped, three occupants attempted to flee. One person, later identified as Indrajit Rai alias Anurjeet Rai (26), a resident of Birpur village in Bihar’s Vaishali district was apprehended, while two others managed to escape.A subsequent search of the vehicle reportedly led to the recovery of around 200 kg of ganja. Indrajit Rai was arrested and sent to jail, and the police later filed a chargesheet invoking stringent provisions of the NDPS Act.However, as the trial progressed, the prosecution’s case steadily fell apart. Witness testimonies were riddled with contradictions regarding the time, location, and manner of the seizure. Shockingly, none of the witnesses could clearly explain who detained the accused, the exact spot where the vehicle was intercepted, or how long the search operation lasted.The prosecution suffered its biggest setback when police informed the court that the seized ganja, stored in the malkhana of Ormanjhi police station, had been destroyed by rats. A station diary entry reportedly recorded the incident in 2024. Calling the explanation a case of “gross negligence,” the court expressed serious concern over the police’s failure to safeguard seized material.In its judgment, the court observed that the prosecution failed to establish any credible link between the accused and the seized vehicle. It further noted that the seizure, storage, and sampling procedures could not be relied upon due to glaring procedural lapses.“With no material evidence left and the chain of custody completely broken, the benefit of doubt must go to the accused,” the court ruled, acquitting Indrajit Rai of all charges.



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