When Evidence Vanishes: How a Ranchi NDPS Case Collapsed Over ‘Rats’

In early 2022, the Jharkhand Police believed they had intercepted a major narcotics operation. Nearly 200 kilograms of ganja was allegedly seized from a vehicle on a national highway near Ranchi, leading to the arrest of a young man under the stringent provisions of the NDPS Act. On paper, the case appeared strong.

Three years later, it quietly collapsed.

The reason was not a technical loophole or hostile witnesses, but a startling claim made by the prosecution itself - that the seized ganja had been destroyed by rats while stored inside the police station malkhana.

For the court, this explanation raised more questions than answers.

As the trial progressed, inconsistencies began to surface. Officers gave conflicting accounts about where the seizure took place, who was present, and how the contraband was handled. No independent public witnesses were examined, despite the alleged interception occurring on a busy highway.

The most damaging blow came when the prosecution admitted that the narcotics were no longer available for inspection. Without physical evidence, the chain of custody - a cornerstone of NDPS prosecutions - stood irreparably broken.

The special court noted that safeguarding seized material is not a procedural formality but a legal obligation. Once the evidence disappeared, the prosecution’s case lost its foundation. The accused was acquitted, not because innocence was proven, but because the law demands certainty where liberty is at stake.

Legal experts say the case highlights a deeper institutional issue. Just as financial systems rely on auditing services in india to ensure transparency and accountability, criminal investigations depend on strict documentation, storage protocols, and independent verification. When internal controls fail, whether in public finance or law enforcement, the consequences are often irreversible.

The Ranchi case has since sparked uncomfortable conversations about evidence management across enforcement agencies. Similar incidents elsewhere - involving liquor stocks or seized goods - suggest that the problem may not be isolated.

For now, the official record reflects a troubling reality: a high-value narcotics seizure vanished inside state custody, and with it, the prosecution’s credibility. The judgment stands as a reminder that in the justice system, evidence does not merely support a case - it is the case.