The Supreme Court on 25 April expressed surprise that currency notes allegedly seized in a corruption case in Bihar were destroyed by rodents, raising concerns over storage practices and potential loss to the exchequer.

A bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K.V. Viswanathan observed that such incidents point to serious lapses in the safekeeping of seized property.

“We are taken by surprise that the currency notes got destroyed by rodents… It’s a huge revenue loss for the State,” the bench said in its order dated 24 April.

Court flags storage lapses

The issue arose during the hearing of a plea filed by a woman convicted in a corruption case. Referring to the Patna High Court’s earlier judgment, the Supreme Court noted that the seized cash had been destroyed due to poor storage conditions in the ‘malkhana’ (police storage facility).

The bench questioned how many such instances might be occurring where seized currency is not preserved properly.

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“We wonder how many such currency notes recovered in this type of offence get destroyed, as they are not kept in a safe place,” it said.

The court also remarked that the explanation offered for the destruction of the notes did not inspire confidence.

Bail granted, sentence suspended

The Supreme Court granted bail to the woman and suspended the sentence awarded by the Patna High Court.

She had been convicted in connection with a 2014 case, where she was accused of demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000 while serving as a child development programme officer.

The trial court had earlier acquitted her of all charges, but the High Court later overturned the acquittal and convicted her, leading to the present appeal before the Supreme Court.

Issue to be examined further

The bench indicated that it would examine the issue of storage and destruction of seized currency in greater detail when the main matter is taken up for hearing.

In criminal cases, seized cash and other evidence are typically stored in designated police facilities until the conclusion of trial.

The court’s observations highlight concerns over infrastructure and accountability in handling case property, particularly in corruption and financial crime cases where seized assets form a crucial part of evidence.

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