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Muzaffarpur: Dozens of high-value foreign weapons seized by the police in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district are deteriorating in police station storerooms, prompting serious concerns about procedural negligence—or worse, deliberate sabotage. With no clear custodial oversight and years of poor storage conditions, these critical pieces of evidence are rusting away, potentially weakening future prosecutions.
Weapons including a Belgian Mauser, Austrian Glock, Czech CZ pistol, and a German L-Lama pistol—each valued between Rs 12 and 15 lakh—have been seized in major criminal cases over recent years. Yet, due to the lack of proper maintenance, many of them have corroded.
One such firearm, a Belgium-made Mauser pistol seized from Brajesh Thakur during the infamous 2018 Balika Grih scandal, still lies rusting in the Nagar police station’s malkhana (storeroom). Similarly, a Glock pistol seized in 2022 from three arrested individuals remains uncared for, its condition visibly deteriorating. More recently, weapons recovered by the Mushahari and Sadar police—originating from the Czech Republic and Germany respectively—have suffered the same fate.
Senior advocate Sangeeta Shahi warns that such negligence could directly benefit the accused in court. “If a weapon is not presented in working or intact condition during trial, it compromises the prosecution. The responsibility lies with the police to preserve and produce evidence,” she said. Her concerns are echoed by fellow advocate Sharad Sinha, who noted that in several past cases, missing or damaged evidence has led to acquittals.
The problem, insiders say, is compounded by bureaucratic disarray. Many police stations lack a clear record of which officer is responsible for which weapon, and frequent personnel transfers exacerbate the issue. In some cases, storerooms haven’t been cleaned or inventoried for years.
SSP Sushil Kumar acknowledged the problem, stating that “senior officers have given fresh instructions for maintenance of seized arms and proper documentation during recent inspections.” However, the efficacy of these directives remains uncertain, as the rot—both literal and figurative—persists.
The deterioration of these weapons also recalls a bold move by former IG Gupteshwar Pandey, who famously had unusable confiscated arms converted into agricultural tools like sickles and ploughs after trial proceedings concluded.
