Supreme Court 'taken by surprise' as rodents destroy banknotes seized in Bihar

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has said that it was taken by surprise that currency notes, allegedly seized from the possession of an accused in a corruption case lodged in Bihar, were destroyed by rodents.

A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and K V Viswanathan also wondered as to how many such currency notes got destroyed as they were not kept at a safe place, terming it a "huge revenue loss" for the State.

The issue cropped up before the bench while hearing a plea filed by a woman, who was convicted and sentenced to a four-year imprisonment in a corruption case.

It was alleged that the woman, who was serving as a child development programme officer at that time in 2014, had demanded and accepted a Rs 10,000 bribe from the complainant.

The top court, which had earlier exempted her from surrendering till further order, granted her bail and suspended the four-year sentence given by the Patna High Court by reversing her acquittal by the trial court.

"We have also taken notice of something which we should not ignore," the bench said, while referring to a paragraph from the high court's February last year verdict, which had recorded that the seized currency notes were destroyed by rats and rodents due to the improper condition of 'Malkhana'.

In its April 24 order, the top court said, "We are taken by surprise that the currency notes got destroyed by rodents. 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's a huge revenue loss for the State."

It said the explanation offered for the destruction of currency notes also does not inspire any confidence.