Rodents destroyed currency notes seized in corruption case, SC expresses surprise

# SC Shocked as Rats Destroy Seized Currency

By Senior Legal Correspondent, The National Herald Desk, April 25, 2026.

**New Delhi, April 25, 2026** — The Supreme Court of India expressed profound astonishment on Saturday after being informed that thousands of rupees in currency notes, seized as crucial evidence in a high-profile corruption case, were allegedly destroyed by rodents inside a police evidence room. The startling revelation, presented during a routine bail hearing, highlights severe infrastructural deficits within local law enforcement custody systems. The apex court demanded immediate answers regarding the storage of vital judicial evidence, questioning how evidence could be left vulnerable to pests, effectively stalling ongoing anti-graft proceedings and potentially aiding the accused. [Source: Hindustan Times].

## The Bizarre Revelation in the Apex Court

The incident came to light during the hearing of a special leave petition concerning a protracted corruption trial involving state officials accused of siphoning public funds. When the Supreme Court bench inquired about the status of the physical evidence—specifically, a massive cache of marked currency notes seized during a trap operation—the state’s counsel delivered a baffling update: the notes had been shredded beyond recognition by rats in the police station’s *malkhana* (evidence storeroom).

The bench, visibly taken aback by the submission, questioned the operational protocols of the state police. “Are we to believe that the primary evidence in a serious corruption trial was entrusted to the dietary habits of local rodents?” the bench reportedly remarked. The court further noted that such lapses make a mockery of the criminal justice system and erode public faith in anti-corruption bureaus.

The state’s legal representative attempted to defend the situation, citing the dilapidated condition of the building where the evidence was housed and a chronic lack of funding for proper pest control. However, the court quickly dismissed this reasoning, pointing out that safeguarding evidence is a fundamental duty of the state, not an optional administrative luxury. [Source: Hindustan Times | Additional: Public Legal Records on Supreme Court Proceedings].

## Chronic Infrastructural Decay in Police Malkhanas

The destruction of physical currency by rats underscores a deeply entrenched problem within India’s law enforcement infrastructure: the deplorable state of police *malkhanas*. These evidence rooms are often relegated to damp, poorly lit basements or neglected backrooms of police stations. They house everything from seized narcotics and weapons to cash and forensic samples, frequently in rudimentary cardboard boxes or decaying cloth sacks.

According to former police administrators, the standard operating procedure for storing seized cash dictates that it should be deposited in a secure treasury or a nationalized bank account specifically designated for court evidence. The fact that raw currency was left in an unsealed environment points to severe procedural deviations.

“The *malkhana* system in most rural and semi-urban police stations is a relic of the 19th century,” explains Dr. Meenakshi Verma, a criminologist and policy researcher at the Institute for Justice Reforms. “Evidence is dumped in a corner with a handwritten tag that inevitably fades or rots. When a case takes years to come to trial, physical evidence is subjected to moisture, pests, and pilferage. The ‘rat defense’ is often symptomatic of a much darker reality of negligence or intentional tampering.”

## The “Convenient” Rodent Defense

While rats are undeniably an infrastructural nuisance in older government buildings, legal experts point out that they have frequently been used as scapegoats for missing evidence. The Supreme Court’s skepticism is deeply rooted in a historical pattern of highly improbable animal interventions reported by police departments across the country.

When high-value evidence like currency, narcotics, or illicit liquor vanishes, attributing the loss to rodents, termites, or monkeys effectively shields corrupt officials from internal departmental inquiries. A rat cannot be cross-examined, nor can it be charged with the destruction of evidence under the penal code.

Senior Advocate Harish Salve-tier litigation experts note that the burden of proof rests entirely on the prosecution. “If the state claims rats ate the money, they must produce the remnants of the notes, the forensic report of the damage, and the officers on duty who allowed this to happen,” states prominent defense attorney Vikramaditya Singh. “More often than not, this absurd excuse is a smokescreen for embezzlement by the very authorities tasked with guarding the public trust.” [Source: Independent Legal Analysis].

## A History of “Animal Interventions” in Evidence Rooms

The Supreme Court’s astonishment is contextualized by an almost comical, yet tragic, history of missing evidence attributed to animals. Over the past decade, several high-profile cases have derailed because of similar claims.

**Table: Notable Incidents of “Animal Tampering” in Indian Police Stations**

| Year | Location | Seized Evidence | Official Police Explanation | Result |
| :— | :— | :— | :— | :— |
| 2017 | Bihar | Thousands of liters of illicit liquor | Rats purportedly gnawed through caps and drank the alcohol. | Departmental inquiry launched; several officers suspended. |
| 2018 | Uttar Pradesh | Over 500 kg of seized marijuana | Rats supposedly consumed the entire stockpile in the storeroom. | Court ordered an investigation; cases against smugglers weakened. |
| 2021 | Madhya Pradesh | Seized firearms (wooden handles) | Termites allegedly ate the wooden stocks of the evidence rifles. | Weapons deemed unfit for forensic ballistic matching. |
| 2026 | New Delhi (SC Hearing) | Bribe Currency Notes | Rats destroyed paper currency linked to a corruption trap. | SC demands statewide audit of police evidence management. |

These incidents collectively paint a picture of an ailing evidence management framework that allows the accused to exploit reasonable doubt.

## Legal Repercussions: Breaking the Chain of Custody

The destruction of the currency in this corruption case is not merely a bureaucratic embarrassment; it has severe legal ramifications. In criminal jurisprudence, establishing an unbroken “chain of custody” is paramount. The prosecution must prove that the evidence presented in court is the exact same evidence seized from the crime scene, without any tampering, adulteration, or loss.

In corruption trap cases specifically, anti-corruption bureaus mark currency notes with phenolphthalein powder. When the accused touches the notes, a subsequent hand-wash in a chemical solution turns the water pink, establishing a scientific link between the briber and the recipient. The physical notes, complete with their specific serial numbers matched against a pre-trap memo, are the cornerstone of the prosecution’s case.

Without the physical notes, the defense can easily argue that the entire trap was fabricated. “The absence of the primary physical evidence essentially strips the prosecution’s case of its most vital pillar,” explains former High Court Judge K.R. Menon. “While secondary evidence like photographs or panchnama (witness records) exist, a skilled defense lawyer will cast immense doubt on the investigation’s integrity. The ‘rat excuse’ is a golden ticket for the accused.” [Source: Knowledge of Indian Judicial Procedures].

## Mandating Modernization: The Shift to Digital Evidence Management

In response to the current debacle, the Supreme Court has indicated a zero-tolerance approach toward the mismanagement of judicial evidence. The bench suggested that it might be time to issue mandatory national guidelines for the digital cataloging and secure storage of seized assets.

Legal and technological experts have long advocated for the modernization of *malkhanas*. The proposed solutions are multifaceted:

1. **Digital Currency Deposits:** Seized cash should be photographed, its serial numbers logged in a blockchain-secured database to prevent tampering, and the physical cash immediately deposited into a secure government treasury rather than left in a police station.
2. **Climate-Controlled Vaults:** Police stations handling significant contraband must be equipped with climate-controlled, pest-proof vaults, akin to commercial bank safes.
3. **RFID Tracking:** Implementing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags for all seized evidence to ensure real-time tracking and automated alerts if evidence is moved or tampered with.
4. **CCTV Surveillance:** 24/7 high-definition camera surveillance inside evidence rooms, accessible to senior judicial magistrates, to deter internal pilferage and monitor environmental conditions.

The integration of these technologies aligns with the broader push toward a digitized criminal justice system under recent legislative overhauls in India. However, bridging the gap between national legislation and grassroots implementation at a dilapidated district police station remains a monumental challenge.

## Accountability and the Road Ahead

The Supreme Court’s sharp reprimand is expected to culminate in formal notices issued to the state’s Director General of Police (DGP) and the Home Secretary. Legal commentators predict that the court may mandate an immediate, state-wide audit of all pending evidence in corruption cases.

Furthermore, the court may institute a policy holding the Station House Officer (SHO) personally liable for the destruction of evidence due to negligence. By shifting the financial and professional liability to the commanding officers, the judiciary hopes to incentivize better maintenance of these critical storage facilities.

## Conclusion: A Wake-Up Call for the Justice System

The bizarre incident of rodents destroying vital currency notes in a corruption case is a glaring indictment of the infrastructural rot within the lower rungs of the criminal justice system. While it provides fodder for public amusement, the underlying reality is a grim miscarriage of justice. When evidence is destroyed—whether by actual pests or human actors using pests as an alibi—the victims of corruption are denied closure, and the guilty walk free.

The Supreme Court’s intervention serves as a critical wake-up call. As India marches toward becoming a technologically advanced global superpower, it cannot afford to let its justice system be undermined by dilapidated storerooms and hungry rodents. A comprehensive, tech-driven overhaul of police evidence management is no longer just an administrative recommendation; it is an urgent judicial necessity to ensure that the rule of law is upheld, protected, and entirely pest-free.